BusinessMirror December 24-25, 2020

SSS defends hike in monthly contribution

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

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ESPITE opposition from employers and labor groups, the government defended its move to push through next year with the hike in the monthly contribution of members of the Social Security System (SSS), saying not doing so will imperil the long-term viability of the pension fund.

In a statement, Finance Secretary and Social Security Commission Chairman Carlos G. Dominguez III said the move was necessary so as to expand the coverage of the SSS Fund and to provide more and higher benefits for its current and future members and their beneficiaries.

Dominguez also said the restructuring of the SSS contribution rate and other reforms set

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under Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 will offset the financial impact on the SSS Fund of the P1,000 increase in the monthly pension of all memberpensioners that was implemented in 2017.

“Any drop in collections may lead to cash flow and liquidity issues.

This could endanger the SSS’ ability to provide its members and their beneficiaries with benefits and loan privileges,” Dominguez said.

Beginning January 2021, SSS is set to hike the monthly contribution rate by one percentage point to 13 percent from the current 12 percent of their respective salaries, but not to exceed the prescribed maximum monthly salary credit (MSC).

With the one-percentagepoint increase in the monthly contribution rate to 13 percent, the

employers’ share would be 8.5 percent while the remaining 4.5 percent would be shouldered by the employees themselves. This shall be applicable to employed members, land-based OFW members in countries with bilateral labor agreements with the Philippines, and sea-based overseas Filipino workers members.

Aside from the hike in the monthly contribution rate, there will also be an increase in the minimum and maximum MSC in 2021.

The minimum MSC will be raised to P3,000 from P2,000 (except for Kasambahay and OFW members whose minimum MSC will remain at P1,000 and P8,000, respectively), while the maximum MSC will be at P25,000 from P20,000.

The MSC is the determining factor for contributions and ben-

efits, which is based on the member’s monthly earnings.

In a separate press briefing on Wednesday, SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio argued that the contribution rate was only increased four times from 1980 to 2016, while pension increases were made 22 times.

In 2017, she added an additional monthly benefit was implemented for all pensioners “without a corresponding adjustment in the contribution rate, which caused the reduction in the SSS Fund life by 10 years.”

As for the second half of the P2,000 pension increase amounting to P1,000, Ignacio reiterated the need to study this further, especially considering that SSS collections were also affected by the pandemic.

Christmas!

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JAN-NOV BUDGET GAP BREACHES P1-T MARK www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 Vol. 16 No. 78

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

MINING NEEDS POLICY LIFT AS NICKEL BOOM SEEN IN FOCUS ON R.E., E-VEHICLES

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HE country’s budget gap from January to November this year breached the P1-trillion mark on the back of increased government spending despite the revenue drop amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

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Latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed the budget deficit for the 11-month period reached P1.069 trillion, more than twice last year’s P409.1 billion.

This is also equivalent to 77.5 percent of the government’s revised full-year projected deficit of P1.38 trillion.

As the Covid-19 pandemic took its toll on the economy, the government was forced to spend more this year despite suffering a decline in revenues.

For November alone, the national government’s budget shortfall swelled to P128.3 billion, equivalent to twice as much as the P60.9 billion recorded in the same month in 2019.

From January to November, state revenues slid by 9.56 percent to P2.62 trillion from P2.89 trillion in the same period last year. Despite this, the BTr said this already exceeded the P2.52-trillion revised fullyear target by 4 percent.

As of end-November, the BIR collected a total of P1.788 trillion. While the BIR already exceeded its revised full-year program of P1.686 trillion by 6 percent, this is still 11.19 percent lower than the 11-month tally in 2019 of P2.013 trillion.

Customs take MEANWHILE, the Bureau of Customs revenue take for the same period also dropped by 14.84 percent to P492.3 billion from last year’s P578.1 billion. The BOC has already reached 97 percent of its revised fullyear target of P506.2 billion.

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HE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means has called for clarity in the country’s mining policies and laws that encourage domestic value-added as nickel is poised to create 1.3 million jobs—a key driver of economic recovery postCovid pandemic.

In a policy outline titled, “The Future in Nickel,” Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda underscored the country’s prospects as a top base and source for renewable energy and electric vehicle manufacturing.

According to Salceda, the Philippines could become a “world power” in renewable energy and electric cars.

“The Philippines is a top producer of nickel. The future of electric vehicles and renewable is nickel, because it is the missing link to one long-standing problem: How do you stabilize batteries so that they last long enough and can store large amounts of energy?”

Salceda said.

“In the past, renewable energy was not always relied upon because of fluctuations in supply. When there’s no wind, there is little wind-powered energy supply. Solar energy requires consistent sunlight, and so on,” he added.

With powerful battery technology, driven by nickel and cobalt—another Philippine product—renewable energy can be stored better, so that fluctuations are managed, the lawmaker said.

“In other words, we now have the power and the prospects to create millions of jobs in renewable energy, battery manufacturing, sustainable mining, and related sectors. This will be a key driver of economic recovery post-Covid, but we have to be very wise with our policies,” Salceda said.

Over the next 10 years, the House leader added, some 1.3 million jobs await the country in nickel-related industries.

See “Mining,” A2

THE pandemic-induced crisis is no excuse for big-hearted Anton Velasco, 52, to refuse lodging for Man’s best friend—eight of them—on the tricycle he and his son use whenever they gather recyclable materials in Manila. His eight dogs—some he found on the street and adopted—live with them and stay with them whenever they scour for recyclables to sell. Asked if he doesn’t have a problem feeding so many furry friends despite his meager income, Anton shrugs. They’re friends, after all, and friends take care of each other. NONIE REYES

Ban on flights to, from UK strands OFWs

By Recto L. Mercene

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LAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) suspended flights to and from London until the end of February 2021, in compliance with the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) order restricting inbound travel from the UK beginning December 24 until December 31, 2020.

Before this latest IATF Resolution, PAL had been serving the Manila-London-Manila route once a week.

Meanwhile, the closure of the UK to international flights has suspended the de-

parture of Filipino nurses and caregivers, as England was struck by a new strain of Covid-19, which is running out of control, according to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Forty other countries across the world have also banned flights going into the UK, including France, which sealed all its borders with the UK and banned all land, sea and air routes to that country.

However, the ban is temporary but will depend on the number of measures the UK government is taking to control the new virus with a Tier 4 lockdown on many parts of the UK.

Thousands of overseas Filipino work-

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 48.0910

ers (OFWs) are also affected by the ban by Saudi Arabia on all international flights to the country, according to recruitment consultant Manny Geslani.

He said OFWs scheduled to depart for Riyadh have been advised by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO Riyadh) to wait until the Saudi government lifts the ban.

Many Balik-Manggagawa who were scheduled to leave for Manila for vacations or renewal of their contracts were also told to return to their jobsites, or their employers were asked to provide housing for the workers till the Saudi government lifts the ban, Geslani added.

Saudi Arabia banned all international flights and closed its borders over fears about the fast-spreading new strain of Covid-19, starting December 22, 2020.

The closure will last one week.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the kingdom may extend the suspension for another week depending on the nature of the virus spread.

The Saudi decision followed the UK warning that a new strain of the coronavirus is “out of control.”

Other countries in the region like Kuwait have also followed the action of

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n JAPAN 0.4641 n UK 64.2688 n HK 6.2032 n CHINA 7.3501 n SINGAPORE 35.9990 n AUSTRALIA 36.1692 n EU 58.5027 n SAUDI ARABIA 12.8185

Source: BSP (December 23, 2020)

News BusinessMirror

A2 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

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MECQ possible if Covid-19 daily cases hit 4K–OCTA researchers

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By Cai U. Ordinario

HE University of the Philippines (UP) OCTA Research Team believes the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the country could be reimposed, if the average of 4,000 cases per day is again reached.

In a briefing, Butch Ong of UP OCTA cautioned that the upper limit of their projection this year of 500,000 may be reached by yearend or in January. The low end of their projections this year is 450,000 total cases.

Guido David of the OCTA Research Team said Covid-19 cases are on the rise in Metro Manila.

The reproduction number has reached 1.12, higher than in recent weeks.

“The increase in cases is start-

DOLE TELLS EMPLOYERS: HEED HOLIDAY PAY RULES

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MPLOYERS must comply with holiday pay rules for Christmas Eve (December 24) and December 25, the Department of Labor and Employment said.

However, the labor department said establishments that have totally closed or ceased operation during the community quarantine period amid the Covid-19 pandemic “are exempted from the payment of the holiday pay” on December 25.

In a two page-advisory, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said the “no work, no pay” policy shall take effect on December 24, an additional special nonworking day.

“For work done during the special day, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her basic wage on the first eight hours of work,” Bello said.

If an employee works overtime, he or she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on the said day and an additional 50 percent of their basic wage on the first eight hours of work if work is done during a special day that also falls on his or her rest day.

In case of work done in excess of eight hours during a special day that also falls on his or her rest day, the employee must be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on said day.

On Christmas Day (December 25), a regular holiday, an employee on duty will get twice his or her basic pay. If the employee did not work, he or she shall receive his full salary for that day, subject to certain requirements under the implementing rules and regulations of the Labor Code, as amended.

For work done in excess of eight hours, an employee shall receive an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on said day.

One must also be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her basic wage if the regular holiday falls on his or her rest day.

If one works in excess of eight hours during a regular holiday that also falls on his or her rest day, an employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his or her hourly rate on said day. Bernadette D. Nicolas

ing. We cannot really say that the surge is here. Definitely it is still at the early stages. [But] we can still make it go lower, we still have an opportunity to prevent it from reaching 4,000 [cases per day],” Ong said in a mix of Filipino and English.

David said Covid-19 cases are increasing particularly in northern parts of Metro Manila such as Caloocan, Valenzuela, Malabon, Quezon City, and other areas in the middle of the megacity, including Makati City.

Covid-19 cases in southern parts of Metro Manila such as in Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque and Pasay have not increased as much, according to David.

However, Ong said Covid-19

cases are expected to increase further after December 25 or after January 1 when Filipinos start going back to their places of work after the holiday break.

This, Ong said, is where the government and Filipinos, especially those living and working in Metro Manila, have to be vigilant.

Following health protocols will prevent the spread of Covid-19 after the holidays.

“As long as we haven’t hit 4,000 yet—because 4,000 is like the critical limit of cases for us to return to MECQ, as that’s what happened in August. We hit about 4,000 cases and then our healthcare system could no longer handle it,” David, however, said.

“As long as we don’t hit that

level yet, then we don’t have to return to MECQ. What we want to avoid is a stricter lockdown and we have seen that we can actually bring down cases even without MECQ,” he added.

The National Economic and Development Authority earlier estimated that around 4.5 million Filipinos became jobless this year, largely due to the strict lockdowns implemented by the government to combat the spread of Covid-19.

At the height of the lockdowns in April, a total of 7.228 million Filipinos were unemployed (for an unemployment rate of 17.6 percent), the highest since the government revised the Labor Force Survey estimates in 2005.

Ban on flights to, from UK strands OFWs Continued from A1 the Saudi government. Other Middle East countries may also ban international flights, especially those coming from the UK and Europe.

PAL offers options

PAL said passengers of its cancelled flights to and from the UK may rebook on the next available flights, waiving rebooking service fees.

“They may also refund the cost of their ticket with refunding service fees waived. A third available option is the conversion of the PAL ticket into a Travel Voucher for future use,” said PAL Spokesman Cielo Villaluna.

“We are monitoring the situation in the UK. As we keep a close watch on this evolving situation, it is in the best interest of all to suspend flights on the route.”

PAL said appropriate announcements will be made as developments unfold, adding the carrier supports all measures that seek to curb any potential increase in Covid-19 cases during the holiday season and beyond.

PHL halts UK flights

MALACAÑANG on Wednesday said in a

news statement that the temporary suspension will take effect starting December 24 (today) 12:01 am until December 31.

The temporary suspension of flights from the UK was approved by President Duterte and the IATF following the recommendation of the Department of Health.

According to Resolution 90 of the IATF, the Department of Health received reports on a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 spreading in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said all passengers who have been in the UK within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, including those merely in transit, are also temporarily restricted from entering the country for the same period.

On the other hand, passengers already in transit from the UK and all those who have been to the UK within 14 days immediately preceding arrival to the Philippines, who arrive before 12:01 a.m. of December 24, 2020, shall not be subject to entry restriction but will be required to undergo stricter quarantine and testing protocols. These include the observation of an absolute 14-day quarantine period at the Athletes’ Village in the New Clark City, notwithstanding a negative RT-PCR test result.

Outbound travel to the UK shall likewise be subject to the existing exit protocols of the Philippines and the UK, Roque said.

The Department of Health had earlier said no new variant of the coronavirus has been detected in the country, but it assured the public it is closely monitoring the situation.

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) have also allayed concerns over the new coronavirus strain, saying this is a “normal part of virus evolution,” according to international reports.

The WHO also said the new strain of the virus in the UK is reported to be more infectious but there’s no evidence that it is more deadly.

Officials from the UK have also informed the WHO that Covid-19 vaccines appear to be effective against the new strain but there is still a need to conduct more research.

Prime Minister Johnson has also imposed tougher restrictions in London and Southeast England to curb the spread of the new strain.

Johnson said the new strain may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the original version of the disease.

With Bernadette D. Nicolas

Jan-Nov budget gap breaches ₧1-T mark Continued from A1

For its part, the Bureau of the Treasury’s income surged by 56.85 percent to P211.3 billion compared to P134.7 bil-

lion in January to November last year. This was driven by higher dividends and other government service income as well as interest on advances from governmentowned and -controlled corporations.

Total collection by other offices also slumped by nearly a quarter to P111.7 billion from last year’s P147.2 billion.

On the other hand, cumulative government expenditures for the 11-month period reached P3.686 trillion, jumping by 11.59 percent from only P3.3 trillion in the comparable period last year.

Primary spending rose by 12.1 percent to P3.3 trillion from P2.97 billion in 2019.

Interest payments also went

up by 7.03 percent to P355.1 billion from P331.8 billion in the previous year.

For November alone, government revenues were also down by 19.35 percent to P245.8 billion from P304.7 billion in 2019.

Broken down, revenues collected by the BIR declined by 17.4 percent to P191.7 billion from P232.1 billion in the same month last year.

Likewise, the BOC also had lower collections in November this year at P43.7 billion, a 13.29-percent drop from P50.4 billion in 2019. This, after it deduced the P204-million tax refund paid to claimants.

Due to the lower national government share in the income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) and Bond Sinking Fund investment earnings, the BTr’s income also

plunged by 48.61 percent in November to P2.8 billion from last year’s P5.5 billion.

Other offices

REVENUE collection from other offices also dived by 52.67 percent to P7.1 billion in November from P15 billion a year ago because of the Covid-19-induced restrictions that hampered the government’s collecting operations.

In the same month, government expenditures went up by 2.3 percent to P374.1 billion from last year’s P365.6 billion.

Primary spending for the month also inched up by 1.63 percent to P354 billion from P348.3 billion last year.

Interest payments also grew by 15.9 percent to P20 billion from P17.3 billion in the same month a year ago.

DBCC tweaks

EARLIER this month, the Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee announced that it has narrowed down its projection for this year’s budget deficit from 9.6 percent of GDP or P1.815 trillion to 7.6 percent of GDP this year or P1.38 trillion.

This, as economic managers are expecting an increase in revenues as well as in disbursements.

The revised projected full-year budget deficit is nearly double that of last year’s budget gap at P660.2 billion, equivalent to only 3.4 percent of GDP.

The government also expects the Philippine economy to sink deeper by 8.5 percent to 9.5 percent this year, potentially marking the worst economic downturn in 36 years since 1984 when the economy contracted 7 percent.

SSS defends hike in monthly contribution Continued from A1

“We understand the plight of our pensioners and recognize the good intention of granting the second tranche of P1,000 additional monthly benefit, but without any additional funding, this would significantly reduce the SSS fund life,” she said.

Fund life: Till 2054

IN the same briefing, SSS Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary Edgar B. Cruz also revealed that the fund life of SSS is projected to last until 2054, which he described as “a very long-term, forward-looking estimate.”

“Please do not focus on the date but focus on the fact that per our actuarial study, the fund is expected to be depleted and therefore we should be thinking of ways to reform the program and extend the fund life, ideally to perpetuity so that all generations will benefit,” Cruz said.

Should the second tranche of pen-

sion increase be implemented, Cruz said this would be a “step in the wrong direction” as this would shorten SSS’s fund life by 10 years.

“So if we increase the pension further [without infusing] funding, [the] future generation will suffer,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

With many workers being unemployed as a result of the no-work-no-pay policy or the reduced working arrangements arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, SSS contribution collections from January to October this year reached only P169.73 billion, or a decrease of 5.4 percent from the P179.34 billion collected in the same period last year.

The pandemic also caused a decline in benefit disbursements from late March to May.

From January to October this year, SSS disbursed a total of P159.47 billion in social security and employees’ compensa-

tion benefits to 3.56 million members and beneficiaries, representing a decrease of 2.6 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively, from the benefits released in the same period last year.

However, benefit disbursements to SSS members and their beneficiaries started to slowly recover or increase in the following months with the easing of quarantine restrictions and continuous digitization of the SSS system.

Its member loan releases from January to November this year also amounted to P58.03 billion for 3.2 million members, an increase from P20.48 billion for P1.39 million members in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, pension loan releases reached P3.17 billion for 69,813 retireepensioners, an expansion from P1.20 billion for 7,210 pensioners in the comparable period a year ago.

Nonetheless, Dominguez assured the public that SSS investments are well

managed and have allowed the pension fund to “respond to the needs of members despite the drop in collections during the pandemic.”

The finance chief also expressed confidence that SSS can “further improve its financial performance and have better collections in the years ahead as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and regains its preCovid growth momentum.”

The SSS will also open a Worker’s Investment and Savings Program (WISP) for the portion of member contributions in excess of the P20,000 MSC up to the prescribed maximum MSC of P25,000. The WISP will mean additional pension income to members contributing under it.

For example, under the P25,000 MSC, a member paying the new monthly contribution of 13 percent rate will actually shell out P3,250, of which P2,600 will go to the Regular Social Security Fund (RSSF) and the remaining P650 to the WISP.

Mining…

Continued from A1

SALCEDA: “Nickel will be very big, and as one of the world’s largest producers of nickel, we will be very important, if we will be wise.”

“The world appears to see that this is the future. Top nickel buyer and electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla is already larger in market cap than all other major car manufacturers combined. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers are also rising. Nickel will be very big, and as one of the world’s largest producers of nickel, we will be very important, if we will be wise,” he said.

Moreover, Salceda said that the country “can become a global power in renewable energy and in the electric vehicle supply chain, but only if it makes the right policy moves.”

“The Philippines remains among the world’s largest producers of nickel.

Despite taking a small production dip between 2017 and 2018, when nickel production fell from 366,000 MT to 340,000 MT, the nation increased its output to 420,000 MT in 2019.”

5 requirements SALCEDA, meanwhile, listed five key policy requirements needed to induce a boom in the country’s nickel sector.

First, Salceda said, “Clarity in its mining policies will be of the utmost importance.”

He explained: “By enacting a fiscal regime on mining, the country will be able to negotiate new, more responsible mining agreements that can keep its nickel supply sustainable. Passing HB 6135, or the Fiscal Regime for the Mining Industry, should be a national priority.”

Salceda added that the House is likely to pass its version of the fiscal regime on mining, which will then open the door to new mineral agreements, when session resumes early next year.

Also, he said sustainable public finance policies should be in place with the setting up of the Mineral Resources Trust Fund in HB 6135.

Salceda said the bill will also ensure that the country generates savings from booms in the prices of mineral commodities such as nickel.

“Reliability of its natural gas supply will be key. Nickel mining requires natural gas and oil in its extraction processes. The enactment of favorable policies for the maximization of the country’s natural gas resources in the West Philippine Sea will be key,’ Salceda added.

Salceda also highlighted the need for domestic value added.

“To maximize the benefits of its extractive industry, the Philippines should promote domestic value-added. The launching of the Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone (LEIZ) roadmap, accompanied by the Copper Industry Development Roadmap, is a welcome development in this direction. The country should make a push to occupy significant portions of the electric vehicle and battery manufacturing space.

In this regard, the lawmaker said the urgent enactment of the country’s main instrument of industrial policy, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, is also extremely important.

“Domestic research is key to domestic value-added. The Philippines must, itself, encourage an environment conducive to renewable energy and electric vehicles. Continued investments in research and development, coupled with labor training, will be key to building up the Philippines as a manufacturing base for electric vehicles and renewable industry energy components,” the solon added.

Salceda, meanwhile, said he will work closely with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to ensure that policies are in place to promote a sustainable nickel industry in the country.

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Comelec allots ₧116.16M for acquisition of 2,200 laptops

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HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allocated P116.16 million for the supply and delivery of consolidation and canvassing system laptops for the 2022 national and local elections.

In its invitation to bid which was posted on Tuesday, the poll body said it aims to procure 2,200 units of laptops worth P52,800 each.

The delivery of the equipment is also divided into five tranches from May 30 to September 30, 2021.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” Eligible bidders should have also completed within 10 years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project, such as contracts involving “supply, delivery, distribution or manufacture of desktop computers and/or laptop computers.”

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships or organizations with at least 60-percent interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, in line with Republic Act 5183.

Comelec said bidding documents may be downloaded by interested bidders from the web site of the Philippine Government Electronic.

Procurement System and the Comelec web site, provided they shall pay the applicable fee for the bidding documents not later than the submission of their bids.

They may also acquire the complete set of bidding documents at the Special Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat Office at Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila.

The prebid conference is scheduled on January 4, 2021 while the deadline for the submission of bids and opening of bids are set on January 18. Bernadette D. Nicolas

‘Shield children from violence’

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AVE the Children Philippines has denounced the recent shooting incident that killed mother and son Sonya, 52, and Frank Anthony Gregorio, 25, in Paniqui, Tarlac, which was witnessed by a number of children.

In a news statement, the group said, “We strongly believe that violence in all forms is unacceptable­— more so if it is brazenly committed in the presence of children. Exposing children to violence is in itself a form of violence against children and sets a dangerous example to a generation of future leaders and parents.”

Violence, the group added, has a devastating long-term impact on children and seriously affects a child’s development, dignity, as well as physical and psychological integrity. The brutal incident can cause irreparable trauma, especially to the children involved, that may manifest later in the form of depression, anxiety, anger, disassociation, and other health problems, the group added.

Vilifying, condemning, and cyberbullying are also not the solutions to the issue, the group said.

“Rather, it is the strict exercise of our obligation to raise children responsibly in a nurturing home and their protection from violence that parents, guardians, and the community must undertake,” the group said.

“We also call on our law enforcers to adhere to their sworn duty to serve and protect the people, and to exercise tolerance in preserving the rights of every child,” they added.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 A3

Residential prices drop for 1st time in 4 years on weak demand–survey

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By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

ESIDENTIAL property prices dropped for the first time since 2016 on weak demand across the board, a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) survey showed.

The Central Bank reported on Wednesday that prices of various types of new housing units in the Philippines contracted by 0.4 percent in the third quarter of 2020 com-

pared to their level a year ago based on the Residential Real Estate Price Index (RREPI).

The BSP has been conducting a nationwide real-estate loans and pric-

No Christmas lockdown in Cavite despite reported surge in Covid cases–Remulla

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AVITE Governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla Jr. has denied persistent reports that the entire province will be placed under lockdown, or enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), this Christmas amid the reported surge in Covid-19 cases.

In his December 23, 2020 Facebook post, the governor posted the figures of reported virus cases in the last two weeks, which are: 7 cases on December 5, 2020 15 cases on December 6, 2020 10 cases on December 7, 2020 58 cases on December 8, 2020 13 cases on December 9, 2020 5 cases on December 10, 2020 4 cases on December 11, 2020 11 cases on December 12, 2020 47 cases on December 13,2020 14 cases on December 14,2020 5 cases on December 15,2020 11 cases on December 16,2020 5 cases on December 17,2020 3 cases on December 18,2020 6 cases on December 19,2020 22 cases on December 20,2020 Average for the last 16 days: 14.75 “Admittedly, I am not proud of these numbers because Covid remains undefeated. Pero hindi ko maitatagong very proud ako sa mga Caviteño dahil talaga namang bumaba na ng husto ang mga positibong kaso natin,” Remulla said in his post.

“Siguro naman ay maaari na nating maipagmalaki na kahit papaano ay umangat ang antas ng pagmamasid at pag-iingat ng ating mga kalalawigan laban sa pandemya na nagparalisa sa ating lahat nitong 2020,” he added.

“Cavite po ay patuloy na mananatili sa MGCQ ngayong kapaskuhan. I repeat: No lockdown. Pero absolutely no Christmas parties or gatherings pa rin,” Remulla stressed.

Seven cities and 16 municipalities issued directives

‘NOCHE BUENA’ PACKS

on their respective constituents on celebrating holidays to avoid spread of Covid-19 in the area under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) guidelines.

Drinking in public places is prohibited.

Partial Liquor Ban will take effect on December 24 and 25 and December 30 to January 1, 2021, when selling and buying liquor or wine is limited between 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. only.

Drinking in restaurants on said dates is also prohibited in the locality.

Curfew will remain from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Those who are between 18 and 65 years old are only allowed to leave the house on December 24 and 25 and on December 30 to January 1, 2021.

Videoke or sing-along can only used from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. only at their respective homes and not in public areas.

The prohibition in the manufacturing, distribution, sale, purchase and use of any types of firecracker and fireworks remains in place.

Use of open pipe muffler on motorcycles is also strictly prohibited.

House to house caroling, solicitation and visitation are also prohibited.

“Nananawagan po ako sa kapwa ko Noveletenos at Cavitenos na sundin naten ang mga guidelines na ating ipapatupad para narin ho sa kaligtasan ng ating pamilya at makaiwas sa posibilidad na magkahawa hawa sa mga gatherings na magaganap nitong Kapaskuhan,” Mayor Dino Chua of Noveleta town.

Cavite has a total of 17,389 cases as of December 22, with 15,250 recoveries 1, 667 active cases and 472 deaths. Dennis Abrina

Some 300 residents of Purok Zone 7A of Barangay Cupang in Antipolo City, Rizal, show their Christmas Kalinga packs on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, during the distribution at SM Cherry Antipolo. The activity is a joint project of the city government and SM Foundation to provide essential items to residents and families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and recent calamities. PNA PHOTO BY JOEY O. RAZON

ing survey since 2016 to monitor the valuation of the property sector in the Philippines. According to them, this is the first time that the index posted a contraction since the start of the series in 2016.

“The decline in the RREPI may be partly due to the weak consumer demand for houses and lots. This is consistent with the outcome of the third quarter of 2020 Consumer Expectations Survey (CES), which pointed to the low preference of consumers to buy real-estate property amid the pandemic and economic uncertainty,” the BSP said.

The RREPI is a measure of the average change in the prices of hous-

ing units based on banks’ data on actual loans granted to acquire new housing units.

Geographically, housing units in the country’s capital drove the decline during the period. The BSP said property prices in the National Capital Region (NCR) dropped by 12.2 percent relative to a year ago, while prices in areas outside NCR grew by 6.4 percent.

In NCR, the decrease in prices of condominium units and duplexes outweighed the increase in prices of single detached/attached houses and townhouses.

Meanwhile, prices in areas in NCR rose across all types of housing units,

except for the prices of duplexes.

The choices of housing unit buyers in NCR and areas outside NCR also varied.

Most of the property loans granted in NCR were for the purchase of condominium units, while loans granted in areas outside NCR were for the purchase of single detached or attached houses.

By region, 46.5 percent of the total number of housing loans granted were accounted for in NCR. The Calabarzon region accounted for 26.5 percent, Central Luzon 7.7 percent, Western Visayas 5.1 percent, Central Visayas 4.9 percent, Davao region 2.8 percent and Northern Mindanao 2 percent.

Economy BusinessMirror

A4 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, Thailand pick Australia as 3rd-party mediator in long-standing cigarette dispute

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

T

HE Philippines has taken a step forward in forcing Thailand to comply with the decision on their cigarette dispute, as it agreed to appoint Australia as a third-party facilitator tasked to point out ways and means toward resolution.

In a World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) meeting last week, the Philippines and Thailand approved of the committee’s move to appoint Australia as facilitator to their cigarette case. As such, Australia is

mandated to build on the consultative process in which a resolution of the dispute is expected.

A Geneva trade official said DSB Chairman Dacio Castillo over the past months held meetings with ambassadors of Manila and Bangkok to the WTO to resolve the long-standing differences on how to advance their dispute proceedings.

As facilitator, Australia is instructed to recommend on how the Philippines and Thailand can put an end to their outstanding issues on the cigarette case. Further, Australia is ordered to come up with a settlement deal that both parties

Deadline for filing of application of franchise under PUVMP extended to March 31, 2021

T

HE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has extended until March 31, 2021 the deadline for the filing of applications for consolidation of individual and existing franchise holders provided under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), a lawmaker said on Wednesday.

Citing an appeal made by DUMPER-PTDA Party-list Rep. Claudine Bautista, among other considerations, revealed the LTFRB recently issued Memorandum Circular 2020-084 to lift the December 31, 2020 deadline for the consolidation of all individual franchise holders into cooperatives or corporations which is in compliance with the “one route, one operator concept” under the PUVMP. MC-2020-084 was signed last Friday by LTFRB headed by Chairman Martin Delgra III and Commissioners Ronaldo Corpus and retired Col. Joel C. Pernito.

“Whereas, the Board is in receipt of a request from Hon. Claudine Diana D. Bautista, representative of DUMPER-PTDA Party-list, stating therein the need to extend the period of consolidation for those covered under the PUVMP,” the LTFRB noted in issuing MC 2020-084.

Previously, the LTFRB extended until December 31 the filing deadline, or six months after the original July 10, 2020 schedule.

This is in response to President Duterte’s declaration of National Health Emergency as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic that has gripped the country.

In granting an extension for the filing of application for industry consolidation, the LTFRB also considered the existing quarantine protocols in the country, saying that this made it difficult to concerned grantees of certificate of public convenience to file their applications for consolidation.

In appealing for a new deadline for full implementation of the PUVMP, Rep. Bautista said that while government has been succeeding in its response against the Covid-19 threat, the public transport industry has yet to fully recover from the adverse effects of the pandemic.

“PUV operators and drivers cannot at this moment shoulder the cost that comes with the filing of their application for consolidation.

Their current economic situation necessitates that they be given more time to get back to their own feet and fully recover,” said the lawmaker.

Under the Bayanihan To Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2), Bautista said any phase out of non-compliant routes is barred.

“I never doubted that the LTFRB will heed the appeal of the public transport sector. The Board deserves a commendation from a grateful industry,” added Bautista. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

may study for their mutual benefit.

“The facilitator will seek to identify and make recommendations to the parties on ways and means of resolving the relevant outstanding issues, which will include both procedural and/or substantive approaches, including a potential comprehensive settlement, subject to the parties’ agreement,” the Geneva trade official said in an e-mail to reporters.

Both the Philippines and Thailand welcomed the new initiative and thanked Australia’s envoy to the WTO for taking up the task.

A communication on the appointment of a facilitator will also be

circulated to all the delegations.

The Philippines in February filed a petition at the WTO to suspend concessions and obligations to Thailand covering $594 million yearly.

Manila is requesting for retaliation to hold Bangkok responsible for its failure to comply with the WTO ruling on their cigarette dispute. The Philippines won the case in 2011, but Thailand has yet to implement the provisions of the decision.

Countering the petition, Thailand said the Philippines cannot yet pursue its retaliation, as it has to be decided by the Appellate Body, the supreme court of international trade.

Thailand argued the Philippines is asking the DSB to bypass the dispute process, as Bangkok has a pending appeal against the ruling that should be reviewed by the Appellate Body.

If the petition is accepted and the retaliation is permitted, Thailand said, the outcome of the case will lose credibility.

The Appellate Body is operating with just one sitting judge of the seven available seats. The chamber can only review cases with a quorum of three members, and the US under outgoing President Donald J. Trump had blocked the appointment of any new judge.

NIA acquires ₧57.8-million light and transport equipment fleet

T

HE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has acquired 34 units of light and transport equipment worth P57.8 million for the agency’s use in monitoring and evaluation of the status of ongoing construction and operations and maintenance (O&M) activities.

The acquisition of light/transport equipment is in line with the FourPoint Agenda of NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, particularly in instituting measures to improve the delivery of services, such as but not limited to, modernization of equipment for operations and project implementation.

In a simple turnover ceremony on December 22, 2020 at the NIA grounds, the light and transport equipment was turned over by the winning bidder, CT Citimotors, to NIA top management witnessed by Central Office Department managers and employees.

The purchase of light/transport and heavy equipment is part of the three-year re-fleeting program of the agency from CY 2017. For CY 2017, NIA purchased 34 units of light/ transport vehicles and 17 units of heavy equipment. For CY 2018, NIA acquired 91 units of light/transport vehicles and 18 units of heavy equipment. Meanwhile, five units of heavy equipment and 91 units of

NATIONAL Irrigation Administration (NIA) chief and retired general Ricardo R. Visaya lead the turnover rites of P57.8-million light and transport equipment for the agency. PHOTO COURTESY OF NIA

light/transport vehicles were set for procurement in 2019.

As of December 31, 2018, NIA maintained in operating condition 3,383 units of heavy, light/transport, other support, and special equipment in support to the operations and maintenance of irrigation systems nationwide.

On the other hand, 600 units of equipment are non-operable, while 1,346 units of equipment are recommended for disposal. Thus, the three-

year re-fleeting program is expected to make NIA operations more efficient and reliable.

Preceding the turnover ceremony of equipment was the handover of the financial assistance amounting to P625,000 from NIA Top Management Officials to the NIA Employees’ Association of the Philippines—National Capital Region (NIAEASP-NCR) for the victims of Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

Part of the P625,000 is a contribution from NIA Central Office employees.

Pasay mayor allows reopening of most businesses, enterprises

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

C

ERTAIN businesses are now allowed to operate at full capacity in Pasay City after its rules on community quarantine were adjusted recently, the local government unit said.

However, Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano, in a memorandum, was quick to point out that these establishments must still follow strict health protocols to be able to operate. These include the wearing of face masks, face shields, temperature checks, and hand disinfections.

“I wish to remind everybody to follow the E.M.I. habit: E—Ensure to always wash your hands; M—Mask is a must; and I—Implement Physical Distancing,” Calixto-Rubiano said.

The decision to relax the guidelines, she explained, was based on an agreement reached by Metro Manila mayors to amend certain regulations of the general community quarantine.

Among those which will be allowed to

operate at 100 percent capacity are financial services such as money exchange, insurance,reinsurances,lendingcompanies, and non-compulsary; legal and accounting; management consultancy activities; publishing and printing services; film, music and tv production; recruitment and placement agencies for overseas employment; other services such as photography, fashion, industrial, graphic and interior design; wholesale and retail trade of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles, including their parts and components; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles; malls and commercial centers (non-leisure only), subject further to pertinent guidelines issued by DTI (Department of Trade and Industry).

For non-leisure wholesale and retail establishment (mall-based or otherwise), such as :mall-based government frontline services; hardware stores; clothing and accessories; bookstores and office supplies stores; baby or infant care supplies; pet shops, pet food and pet care supplies; IT, communications, and electronic equipment; flower, jewelry, novelty, antique, perfume shops; toy store (playgrounds and amusement area are closed); music stores; art galleries (selling only); and (firearms and ammunition trading establishment.

Meanwhile, hotels and accommodation establishments that have four or five star ratings from the Department of Tourism (DOT) and have obtained a DOT certificate to operate for “staycations” may accept “staycation” guests.

Travel services, too, may operate at

100 percent capacity subject to minimum health protocols.

Other businesses that were allowed to operate are drive-in cinemas, Internet cafes and computer shops of at least 30 square meters in size provided they have a city business permit and maintain physical distancing at least 1 meter between workstations.

Testing, tutorial, and review centers may also operate, provided students must be at least 18 years old, and that instructors and students in a room must be at least 2 meters apart from each others.

A lthough establishments may operate at regular capacity, CalixtoRubiano said, “they are encouraged to adopt alternative or flexible work arrangements so that not all employees are physically present on work premises at the same time.”

The same memorandum also advised people who are above 65 years old, those with health risks, and pregnant women to remain at home.

“Those who are below 18 years old should be accompanied by their parent/s when going outside their residences for obtaining essential goods and services only,” the memorandum said.

Open air parks such as the Cultural Center of Philippines (CCP) complex, SM by the Bay, and other similar establishments/areas “may operate at the discretion of their management, for non-contact and non-group exercise or sports activities, such as walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, tennis, badminton, etc.”

Public told: Don’t waste food during the holidays

F

OLLOWING the recent approval of the Food Surplus Reduction Act, a lawmaker on Wednesday urged public to be mindful of food consumption and avoid wastage during the holidays.

AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Sharon Garin, principal author of House Bill 7956 which seeks to reduce food wastage through donating and recycling excess edible food, underscored that with the Covid-19 pandemic still choking supply chains, the food and nutrition security of the country remains to be under threat.

She said that it is incumbent upon every Filipino to do ensure that no food goes to waste.

Garin, citing the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO), said food waste accounts for 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

On top of this, she added hunger and undernutrition continues to plague around 690 million people in the last five years.

Garin also highlighted the need to address the country’s lack of system when it comes to addressing food waste.

For instance, she said, food items continue to end up in dumpsites instead of being repurposed as livestock feed which can help Filipino farmers.

Approved unanimously with 221 votes last week, HB 7956, or the proposed “Food Surplus Reduction Act,” aims to boost awareness on food surplus through the implementation of a National Zero-Food Waste Campaign. It further seeks to educate Filipinos on strategies to reduce food waste in food-related businesses and at the household level.

The bill prescribes specific steps on edible food surplus distribution, as well as the formulation of a foodrelated business surplus reduction strategy to properly manage the distribution and inspection of food still fit for human consumption. Local government units (LGUs) shall also be required to enter into contract with waste management and recycling enterprises to recycle inedible food waste into fertilizer or compost, livestock feed, or sources of biofuel and facilitate the distribution of fertilizer or compost to farms and community gardening associations.

Coastal waters in 11 provinces still positive for ‘red tide’ toxin

T

HE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday said several coastal areas in 11 provinces remains positive of the “red tide” toxin.

As such shellfishes collected in these areas are not safe for human consumption, the Information and Fisherfolk Coordination Unit of BFAR said in its Shellfish Bulletin 29 issued on December 22, 2020.

According to BFAR, based on the latest results conducted together with concerned local government units (LGUs), shellfishes collected at Honda and Puerto Princesa Bays in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan; coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate; Sorsogon BayinSorsogon;coastalwatersofDaius and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; Tambobo Bay, Siaton in Negros Oriental, coastal watersofZumarragainWesternSamar; coastal waters of Calubian, Leyte, and Cancabato Bay, Tacloban City in Leyte; coastalwatersofBiliranIslands;coastal waters of Guiuan in Eastern Samar; Balite Bay, Mati City in Davao Oriental; Lianga Bay and coastal waters of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur; and Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit. Jonathan L. Mayuga

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

ALSTOM TRANSPORT CONSTRUCTION PHILIPPINES, INC. 4/f U-2c One E-com Center Moa Ocean Drive Brgy. 076 Pasay City 1.

CHANDA, VIJAYA KUMAR Indian

PROJECT MANAGER

AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. B21 Three E-com Moa Complex Harbour Drive Cor. Bay Shore Brgy.

076 Pasay City 2.

NGUYEN THI NHI Vietnamese

SELLER SUPPORT ASSOCIATE

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D. Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street Tambo Parañaque City 3.

LUO, YIFEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

4.

PHAM THANH KHUYEN Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

5.

SU, JINWU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.

SU, TA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

7.

WANG, XINGDA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

8.

WANG, YIWEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

9.

YU, JIANGKUN Chinese

10.

ZHONG, HELIN Chinese

11.

12.

DR. FREITAG, HENDRIK Deutsch

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

81.

LE THI THOM Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST

82.

MAI VIET PHUC Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

FAREAST OUTSOURCE PROCESSING INC. 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Nu Tower Moa Coral Way Brgy. 076 Pasay City

83.

NGUYEN THI THAO LINH Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

84.

SU SAY VAN Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

85.

TAN THI THU Vietnamese

VIETNAMESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER RELATIONS SERVICE PROVIDER

DIGICHROM INC. Unit 2602 & 2603 26/f Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City 43.

LE THI MY LINH Vietnamese

44.

FU, ZHI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

45.

GONG, LEI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

46.

47.

HE, XU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

HOANG TRUNG DINH Vietnamese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

LI, HONGHAO Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

LU, YONGGANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

LUO, HU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

88.

GENG, MINGXING Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

HUANG, JUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

51.

NGUYEN THI MAI DUYEN Vietnamese

89.

90.

IMANUEL Indonesian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

52.

NGUYEN TIEN PHAP Vietnamese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

91.

JI, XIAOKUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

53.

TIAN, ZHIRU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

92.

JIANG, DONGDONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

54.

ZHAO, LIMING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

93.

LI, PENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

94.

LI, BODI Chinese

95.

PHILOSOPHY LECTURER

48.

49.

50.

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. 4th-11th Floor Aseana 3 Building Aseana Avenue Corner Diosdado Macapagal Tambo Parañaque City

NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

134.

ZHANG, HUA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

135.

ZHANG, JINBO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

136.

ZHAO, YONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

137.

ZHENG, HANDUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

138.

ZHUANG, RONGXIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

139.

ZOU, LEI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

140.

LIU, ZELIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

141.

RUAN, XIAOGUANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

142.

YU, XIAOHUI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

MSL GLOBAL CORPORATION G/f Warehouse Cm Greenfield Compd. Km14 Merville Parañaque City 143.

TEO SEH KEONG Singaporean

CONSULTANT FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

NEXUS R FORWARD FINANCE, INC. L-26-a Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave. San Lorenzo Makati City 144.

WATANABE, KOICHI Japanese

CONSULTANT MANAGER

SKY DRAGON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES CORP. # 103 Mezzanine Floor Edsa Mandaluyong City 145.

HUANG, HUAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

146.

HUANG, WENJIE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

LIANG, ZAODI Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

147.

JIANG, PENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

96.

MAO, ZHENYA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

148.

BAI, SHUGUANG Chinese

CHINESE RESEARCH ANALYST

97.

NG YOON TATT Malaysian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

149.

CHEN, LINFEI Chinese

CHINESE RESEARCH ANALYST

98.

NGUYEN HOAI QUANG Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

150.

CHEN, YUNXIA Chinese

CHINESE RESEARCH ANALYST

99.

NGUYEN VAN SINH Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

151.

CHINESE RESEARCH ANALYST

100.

PENG, DONGMEI Chinese

XIE, WEIHUANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

152.

CHINESE RESEARCH ANALYST

101.

QIN, BIAO Chinese

XU, CANBIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

153.

YE, YUFENG Chinese

CHINESE RESEARCH ANALYST

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

55.

DING, MENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

56.

LI, YAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CUSTOMER CARE MANAGER (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

57.

PENG, JINFENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

SUN, LI Chinese

HR GENERALIST (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

58.

PENG, LIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

XUE, MEI Chinese

HR GENERALIST (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

59.

RONG, ZEJIAN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

TANG, XINBIN Chinese

IT SPECIALIST (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

60.

WANG, YINHE Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

MA, CHAO Chinese

IT SPECIALIST (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

61.

WU, BIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

102.

QIN, JINGJING Chinese

MA, JIANSEN Chinese

IT SPECIALIST (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

62.

WU, GUOLIU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

103.

QIN, LIUXIANG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

HUANG, HAIMAO Chinese

MARKETING SUPERVISOR (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

63.

XIONG, YACHUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

104.

REN, YUELONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

105.

RHENDY Indonesian

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

TELOQUET OUTSOURCING SERVICES INC. Upper 2/f Unit B 2444-a Burgundy Transpacific Place Taft Ave. 079, Bgy 727 Malate Manila

106.

SHI, DAPU Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

155.

107.

SHUAI, ZHENLONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

108.

SU, KAIBO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

UBIQUITY GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES INC. 10th Floor Bench Tower 3rd Ave. Cor. Rizal Drive Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

109.

SU, SHIHAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

110.

SUN, TAO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

VAN GOGH BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING INC. 5th To 8th Flr. Sm Southmall Tower 2 Alabang Zapote Rd. Almanza Uno Las Piñas City

111.

SUN, HAIJUN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

157.

LI, XINLONG Chinese

I.T TECHNICAL MANDARIN

112.

TAN, JIALIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

158.

YANG, JINLONG Chinese

I.T TECHNICAL MANDARIN

113.

TANG, ZHANPENG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

VERTEX DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 1439 Adriatico Cor. Sta. Monica St. 072 Bgy. 669 Ermita Manila

114.

THIRI CHERRY Myanmari

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

159.

115.

TUN MYINT Myanmari

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

116.

WANG, LISHA Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor. Washington St. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

117.

WANG, JIONG Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

118.

WANG, LIHUA Chinese

119.

PROFESSOR

LI, HOUPENG Chinese

VAZQUEZ AYALA, JULIO CESAR Mexican

SENIOR MANAGER OF OPERATIONS

HITACHI ELEVATOR PHILIPPINES CORPORATION (HEP) U-604 Penthouse Oppen Bldg. 349 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Bel-air Makati City 64.

22.

CONG, LEI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

HE, JUNYUAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

S DORAISAMY Singaporean

TECHNICAL CONSULTANT

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES PHILS. INC. U-5302, 53/f Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave., Cor., V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City 65.

COMPUTER SYSTEM ANALYST 66.

ZENG, QINGYI Chinese

DELIVERY TRANSFORMATION PROJECT MANAGER

TANG, SUIYING Chinese

SENIOR PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER FOR IMAGE BUILD PROJECT

JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. 31/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Avenue San Lorenzo Makati City 67.

PAN, HUAI-NING Taiwanese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

HOU, PENG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

25.

LIU, YONGTAO Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

MAJOREL PHILIPPINES CORP. 5th Floor E-commerce Plaza Bldg. 1 Garden Rd., Eastwood City Bagumbayan Quezon City

26.

LUO, XIAOYU Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

68.

27.

TANG, WEIQI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

28.

WEI, YUXIANG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

29.

YANG, XIAOYI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

30.

YANG, CHUN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

31.

YE, ZIMING Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

32.

ZENG, LIJUAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

33.

ZHANG, ZHENXIN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

34.

ZHANG, BAO Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

35.

AYE HAN Myanmari

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

36.

LI, KAIKAI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

37.

MYO MYINT AUNG Myanmari

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

38.

WAN, XIN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

39.

WEI, QUNFANG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

40.

ZHENG, GUIQIN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

CLICKPLAY SPORTSGAME CORP. 3/f, #119 Dr. Lazcano St. Laging Handa 4 Quezon City

42.

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower C4 Rd. Edsa Ext. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

87.

NGUYEN THI NGOC BICH Vietnamese

41.

POSITION

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

21.

24.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

FU, JINDUN Chinese

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. 5f-13f, Jiaxing Tower Building Aseana Avenue, Aseana Business Park Tambo Parañaque City

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BF JADE E-SERVICES PHILIPPINES INC. Level 2 Blk 7 Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 20.

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Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE-NCR Regional Office located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

Please inform DOLE-NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A6

Relationships

Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

BusinessMirror

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Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

z

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ryan Seacrest, 46; Stephenie Meyer, 47; Ricky Martin, 49; Diedrich Bader, 54.

Happy Birthday: Procrastination will not help you get where you want to go. Let your heart lead the way, and make the moves that feel right for you. Happiness is the perquisite of doing the right thing at the right time.

Push forward with confidence, and live the life you want to live. Leave the past behind you, and look forward with optimism. Your numbers are 6, 11, 21, 24, 33, 43, 47.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put your energy into something meaningful. Enjoy the festivities without overspending. Make arrangements with someone close to you. A new adventure will be the topic of conversation when talking to friends and family.

Romance is in the stars. HHH

b

The morality of feeling equal empathy for strangers and family alike

By Brendan Gaesser & Zoë Fowler University at Albany, State University of New York

T

HE year 2020 has been no stranger to suffering. In the midst of a global pandemic, widespread financial hardship and violence arising from systemic racism, empathy for others’ suffering has been pushed to the front and center in US society.

As society grapples to find its moral compass in a time of such hardship and strife, a critical question emerges: Whose suffering should one care about?

When you ponder who is worth feeling empathy for, friends, family members and children might come to mind. But what about strangers, or people not connected to you through nationality, social status or race? As cognitive scientists, we wanted to understand what moral beliefs people hold about empathy and how these beliefs may shift depending on whom someone is feeling empathy for.

EMPATHY AS A FORCE FOR GOOD EVIDENCE suggests that empathy—broadly defined as the ability to understand and share in someone else’s experience—can be a force for good. Numerous studies have shown it often leads to altruistic helping behavior. Further, feeling empathy for a member of a stigmatized group can reduce prejudice and improve attitudes toward the entire stigmatized group.

But there has also been research suggesting empathy may contribute to bias and injustice. Studies have shown that people tend to feel more empathy for the suffering of those who are close and similar to themselves, such as someone of the same race or nationality, than for those who are more distant or dissimilar. This bias in empathy has consequences.

For example, people are less likely to donate time or money to help someone of a different nationality compared with someone of their own nationality.

Neuroscientists have shown that this bias is evident in how our brains process both firsthand and secondhand pain. In one such study, participants received a painful shock and also watched another person receive a painful shock. There was greater

similarity in participants’ neural activity when the person they observed rooted for the same sports team as themselves.

Whether empathy has a positive impact on society or not has been the subject of a fierce debate spanning politics, philosophy and psychology. Some scholars have suggested empathy should be denounced as too narrow in scope and inherently biased to have a place in our moral lives.

Others have argued that empathy is a particularly potent force that can motivate many people to help others and can be expanded to be more inclusive.

What is largely left unconsidered is whether it could actually be our sense of what is right and wrong that limits our empathy. Perhaps many of us believe that inequality in empathy is right—that we should care more for those who are close and similar to us. In other words, loyalty is a greater moral force than equality.

THE MORALITY OF EMPATHY IN 2020, we ran a study to better understand the morality of empathy.

Three hundred participants from across the US completed a study in which they were presented with a story describing an individual who is learning about global food scarcity. The individual reads about the struggles of two people in the story, one who is socially close—a friend or a family member—and another who is socially distant: for example, from a distant country. In different versions, the person in the story is described as feeling empathy for the stranger or for the friend or family member, or for both people equally, or for neither.

After reading the story, participants then rated how morally right or wrong they thought it was for this person to feel empathy in this manner.

When presented with stories in which the person feels either empathy solely for the friend/family member or the socially distant person, participants typically respond that it is more moral to feel empathy for the friend/family member. But participants judged feeling equal empathy as the most moral. Equal empathy was rated as 32 percent more morally right

than feeling empathy for just one person in the story.

FRIEND OR STRANGER? ALTHOUGH this study suggested that people believed it more moral to have equal empathy, it left certain questions unanswered: What was behind the perceived morality of equal empathy? And would this pattern hold if people were judging their own feelings on empathy?

So we ran a follow-up study with a new sample of 300 people. This time we changed the story so that it was from the participants’ own perspective, and the two people in need were people they personally knew—one being someone close to them, the other an acquaintance. We also added endings to the story, so that participants could now also feel empathy for both people but to different degrees.

The results were remarkably similar to the first study: Feeling more empathy for one’s close friend or family member was seen as more moral. But most notably, feeling equal empathy for both people was again judged as the most moral outcome.

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE? IN a moment when fostering a culture of caring for those who are different seems challenging, our research may offer some insight and perhaps hope.

It suggests that most people believe we should care about everyone equally.

With the right approach, this belief in the morality of equal empathy may even translate to real changes. Recent work has shown that empathy can be increased based on one’s motivation and personal beliefs. For example, participants who wrote a letter about how empathy can be grown and developed showed improvements in their ability to recognize others’ emotions, a major part of empathy.

We are undoubtedly living through an age in which people are divided by race, nationality and political affiliation. But we are all human beings, and we all deserve to be cared for on some level. Our research provides evidence that this principle of equality in empathy is not some obscure ideal. Rather, it is a tenet of our moral beliefs. THE CONVERSATION

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Preparation, intelligence and putting your energy where it counts most will help you reach your goal.

Emotions will be difficult to control. Don’t let insecurity set in because of what someone says or does. Believe in yourself and you will do well. HHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Learn from mistakes. Don’t go overboard trying to please others with lavish gifts or become disappointed if someone doesn’t reciprocate. Last-minute shopping will lead to overspending. Buy fewer things. Offer your love, the goodies you make and your thoughtfulness. HHH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An intelligent move on your part will give you the edge.

Listen and contribute insight into situations that arise when talking to close friends or relatives. What you have to offer will lead to unexpected rewards. A partnership looks promising. HHHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Go over the pros and cons of a situation before you decide to get involved. You can eliminate emotional turmoil if you participate and do what’s best for you. Distance yourself from negativity, and concentrate on being and doing your best. Romance is favored. HH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Open up to close friends and relatives. You will receive information that will help you make decisions that will improve your life. An opportunity you didn’t expect will transpire. Your intuition won’t let you down.

Follow your heart. HHHHH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t get involved in other people’s problems. If someone makes demands, offer suggestions, not your time or money. Look for a way to express your feelings to someone you love. Make romance a priority. HHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): A new beginning is heading your way. Don’t take someone’s word as truth. Verify facts, and leave no room for error when making plans.

Procrastinating will not help you reach your goal. Set your goals and follow through. HHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look at the big picture. Reach out to someone who shares your dream. Make plans to boost your morale and give you something exciting to talk about with relatives during the festive season. HHHHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Think, strategize and make your move. Let others know what you are thinking and what you want. Don’t vacillate when you should believe in your abilities and push forward until you reach your goal. HHHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When unsure, stop and rethink your strategy. Be careful how you deal with friends and relatives. Be mindful of the difficulties others are experiencing. Make a promise to take better care of your health and emotional well-being. HH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Talk of change will lift your spirits. Share plans with people you haven’t seen in some time, and you will alleviate the uncertainty that you or someone you care about is experiencing. Consider innovative ways to use your skills in the new year. HHHH Birthday Baby: You are brave, intuitive and flexible.

You are innovative and entertaining.

‘magic words’ by lita and tass williams The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Healing sign 5 Kayla Harrison’s Olympic martial art 9 “I have a secret to tell you!”

13 Merchandise 15 Way, way, way off 16 Nebraska native 17 Tree topper option 18 Carbonated drink 19 ___ or less 20 “Way to go!”

22 Wishing, with “that” 24 “Told ya!”

25 Aunt, in Spain 26 Actress Torres 27 Request at a ball 32 U-turn from NNW 34 Ireland, on a euro 35 Get dressed in 36 Something hideous 41 Programming pioneer Lovelace 42 Quaint reply to a woman 43 Pooh’s hopping pal 44 Football player who makes a catch

49 Bread end 50 Breeze, essentially 51 Org. that battles cartels 54 Stores up 57 Wizard who said the quote formed by the starred answers’ first words 59 The Des Moines Register’s state 60 Apt-sounding surname for an Uber driver 62 French greeting 63 Fraction of an ounce 64 Based on a ___ story 65 Plumbing or roofing 66 Terrier type named for a Scottish isle 67 Google find 68 Feature of a big cake DOWN 1 Moves back and forth 2 Lightweight boat 3 “Don’t ___ with me!”

4 College students’ party drink 5 African wild dog 6 E.T.’s craft 7 Gala who married a surrealist

8 Greenhouse for a certain citrus fruit 9 Largest Claremont College 10 Like slow traffic 11 Miffed 12 Casual tops 14 DMV animal in Zootopia 21 Org. that tweets spot-the-difference puzzles 23 Takes cover 27 Where many fish live 28 “I wanna try it!”

29 It can be cutting or sparkling 30 Pacific salmon 31 Sinus doc 32 Kids’ party drink 33 Put aside for the future 36 Down time?

37 Ritual combustible stacks 38 Votes in again 39 Corner PC key 40 Like some verbs: Abbr.

45 Kind of seed in halvah 46 “My thoughts exactly” 47 By means of

8 ___ & Young 4 51 Lead-in to “Lama” 52 Give the slip 53 On the trail of 54 Helps 55 Mindy’s partner on an old sitcom 56 Draped Indian garment 58 Tavern missile 61 Same old routine Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

A7

Finneas on Bond theme song, the Grammys and the Weeknd UNDERSTANDING GF

THE showbiz couple was supposed to get married this year but because of the pandemic, it didn’t push through. They are so much in love, yes, but they very different in the way they look at financial matters.

The actress is financially independent and her money is her own. The guy still helps his family. Sometimes, the actress is surprised at how financially dependent her fiancé’s family is on him. But she continually dismisses it as them coming from different backgrounds and she’s still determined to marry him.

There’s really not much to dislike about the actor. He is sweet, nice, considerate and very kind. He is also very hardworking and faithful to the actress.

TROLL FARM

THE celebrity has been bashed online because of some of her life choices. So for a recent big event in her life, the celebrity opted for a newspaper announcement.

When it was reposted by news sites, there were still bashers in the comments section but—surprise, surprise—there are some Twitter accounts also praising her and her actions. If you look at the accounts, you won’t be surprised to see that they are just newly-created. It appears that the celebrity enlisted the services of a troll farm to make herself look good. She’s an expert at making herself look good, so this is not a surprise. What is surprising is that she has gone digital to do this. If you look at the comments under her Instagram posts, you’ll also see that she seems to have hired a social-media manager.

SOON-TO-BE PARENTS

THE young actor and his girlfriend, who is also in showbusiness, have been together for quite a while.

So recently, she became pregnant and while the actor is happy about it, he is trying to act like it’s just one of those things. That’s because he is planning a big surprise—he will propose to her soon. The couple are very happy together and get along quite well. They’re very different and yet so much alike in so many ways.

They’ve had one break-up but they got together again.

The actor is not really that financially stable yet while the actress comes from a family that’s well-off, but money has never been an issue with them.

HER DILEMMA

THE actress is very beautiful and talented. When she was new in showbusiness, many young actors had crushes on her. Eventually, she met a nonshowbiz guy and they fell in love. They’ve been together for a while—but it seems that she is no longer happy, as she has realized that they are so different from each other especially in the political sense. Certain actions and association of her boyfriend are embarrassing to the actress, who has very strong views on political and social issues. The guy is inflexible in his beliefs and will never be swayed. This is where the issue between them lies. The actress can’t even post her boyfriend’s face on her Instagram anymore without netizens making snarky comments.

N

By Mesfin Fekadu The Associated Press

EW YORK—The path to Billie Eilish and Finneas getting the “yes” to compose a song for the upcoming James Bond film was almost as thrilling and exhilarating as watching the action-packed movie on screen.

“We said to our team, ‘If anyone has anyone who knows anyone, just convey that we would love to do this,’” Finneas explained. “We’ve always been trying to write a Bond song.”

The siblings eventually met with a producer on the film who let them read some of the script. And while in Texas for Austin City Limits for live shows, Finneas and Eilish wrote and recorded “No Time to Die” just in time to meet the deadline.

“I have a mobile studio and I started playing that piano part, like, well that’s really pretty. Over a couple of days, we wrote the whole song and recorded the whole vocal and sent it in. That was October 2019.

We were waiting with bated breath for a while. They deliberate. A lot of people have to say yes.”

Then came a phone call from the icon Hans Zimmer, who invited Finneas and Eilish to London to see the film and record the track with an orchestra.

“I was like, ‘Done. Let’s go,’” Finneas exclaimed. “It was a pretty intense week. We were in London. We had [film producer] Barbara [Broccoli]. We had the director, Cary [Joji Fukunaga], who’s become a friend of mine. We had Hans. We had Stephen Lipson. We had a 70-piece orchestra at AIR Studios, and I was still like, ‘Do we have the job? Is it going to be our song?’ I don’t think we knew if it was going to be our song or not until basically when it was announced that it was going to be our song.”

“I don’t fault them for that at all; I think that they want what’s best for the film,” Finneas continued.

“They want to make sure that everyone is totally happy with it. I think that’s a good way to make sure that everything’s good. It was definitely last minute and pretty stressful. It was a long process.”

“No Time to Die” was released in February though the film has been pushed back until April 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The song, which has reached gold status, has peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and is nominated for best song written for visual media at the 2021 Grammy Awards, to take place on January 31.

Finneas and Eilish also picked up Grammy nominations for song and record of the year for “Everything I Wanted”, a song about their relationship as siblings and being there for one another. The new nominations come almost a year after the duo won 11

AP

Grammys at the 2020 show.

“So gratifying and wonderful and hard to articulate how meaningful it is to me,” Finneas said of their nominations. “In the aftermath of it, I’ve felt a couple of things. I’ve talked about this a bit— being nominated is really wonderful on its own. In some ways, winning, although very humbling and a huge honor, is not even as good as being nominated because of the peer group. Album of the Year last year, there were so many albums in that category that I personally loved. Being nominated among them was like, ‘Wow, what an incredible team to be on.’ Winning is like, ‘I’m not better. I love these albums. Any of them

deserve this award’ is the kind of feeling that I had.

It also is a huge honor. One that I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life.

“At its essence, we’re seeing it this year with The Weeknd—every year there’s some artist or two, or a bunch, who are not recognized in the way that they probably by rights deservedly would be recognized,” he continued. “It’s tricky. I think by that metric, the Grammys and all award shows—the Oscars, AMAs—they all should be taken with a grain of salt in that direction because the fact that [The Weeknd’s] ‘After Hours’ wasn’t nominated for Album of the Year doesn’t make it any less of an impressive album.” n

These Filipino stories were most popular on Netflix in 2020

UK agency agrees not to photograph Duchess of Sussex, family LONDON—A news and photography agency has agreed not to take pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their son, Archie, the High Court in London was told at a hearing on Friday.

The agreement is part of a settlement between the former Meghan Markle and UK company Splash News and Picture Agency of a case she filed in March over photos of her and her son taken in a Canadian park in January. The agency has since gone into administration, a type of bankruptcy protection.

A spokesman for Schillings, legal representatives for Prince Harry and his wife, called the settlement “a clear signal that unlawful, invasive and intrusive paparazzi behavior will not be tolerated and that the couple takes these matters seriously—just as any family would.”

A similar claim against Splash US, a sister company to Splash UK, is continuing in the British court system, the spokesman added.

Under the agreement announced on Friday, Splash UK undertakes not to photograph the duke, duchess or their son in the future if the agency comes out of administration.

In a separate privacy case, Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers, publisher of The Mail On Sunday and MailOnline, over publication of a letter the duchess wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle.

Meghan and Harry stepped down from their royal duties at the end of March and are now based in Los Angeles. AP

BILLIE ELISH and Finneas at Brit Awards 2020 in London on February 18, 2020.

Paolo Contis and Alessandra de Rossi in Through Night and Day.

GREAT stories can come from anywhere, which makes a global streaming service like Netflix even more special for both creators and viewers.

Twenty-twenty saw a diverse set of Filipino stories across genres being released on Netflix and Pinoy viewers loved it.

“Filipino audiences love entertainment, and like them we are fans of great stories and best-in-class content. We brought a wide variety of Filipino content by some of the finest creators in the country on Netflix this year, and we are proud to see how well they have been received. We look forward to bringing more amazing Filipino stories to Netflix in the future,” says Raphael Phang, manager of Content Acquisitions at Netflix.

Here are some of the Filipino stories on Netflix that viewers loved this year. Paolo Contis and Alessandra de Rossi brought Filipinos to a whole new level of kilig in Through Night and Day, making it the most

popular Filipino title on Netflix Philippines this year.

KathNiel gave audiences a reason to fall in love again as they went on a journey to rediscover themselves and reignite their feelings for one another in The Hows of Us. Carlo Aquino and Angelica Panganiban had everyone excited as they reunited in Exes Baggage, while Xian Lim and Alex Gonzaga gave everyone the feels while laughing in Love the Way U Lie. Expect even more with Carlo Aquino and Maine Mendoza in Isa Pa With Feelings, launching on Christmas Day on Netflix. Plus, celebrate all kinds of love with Pinoy BL series Gameboys: Level-Up Edition on December 30.

Filipinos enjoyed a variety of Pinoy titles across multiple genres, with 2020 again proving that Filipinos are always in search for something new and different, thanks to local talented creators who tirelessly work behind the scenes to produce new titles for every Pinoy at home or abroad to enjoy.

Perfect holiday gift for TV junkies GIVEN all the gloom that has marked 2020, the gift of clear and vibrant digital TV viewing via the GMA Affordabox would be most welcome this holiday season.

As GMA Network’s 70th anniversary gift to Filipino viewers, GMA Affordabox provides superior digital reception with bonus features that suit every user’s lifestyle. Catch GMA, GMA News TV, Heart of Asia, and Hallypop as well as other free-to-air channels in digital broadcast available per area.

Moreover, helping the country’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 and at the same time continuing to enrich the lives of Filipinos, DepEd TV is set to be available soon on GMA Affordabox’s Channel 7. This is part of GMA’s recent agreement with the Department of Education in providing a free digital channel for Filipino learners all over the country.

Taking viewers’ entertainment experience to a whole new level, GMA Affordabox comes with a built-in multimedia player that makes it an allaround digital file access device allowing users to play

compatible video files, view photos, and even listen to music using a USB drive.

Its one-of-a-kind personal video recorder allows viewers to rewatch their favorite GMA shows using instant or scheduled recording.

On top of its advanced features, it also has a nationwide Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS) that receives alerts from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council about any calamity warnings in their area as well as an auto-on alert function.

GMA Affordabox likewise continues to expand its coverage to reach even more Filipinos across the country as it now covers selected towns and cities in Misamis Oriental in Mindanao, which includes Cagayan de Oro, as well as Camiguin. It is also available in selected areas in Metro Manila, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao del Norte.

For a one-time affordable price of P888 with no

monthly fees, GMA Affordabox is clearly the perfect gift idea this Christmas.

It is available at a one-time affordable price of P888 in appliance stores and malls, or online via the official GMA Store on Shopee and Lazada.

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

A8 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

Local govts secure almost ₧36B in loans from DBP

Photo from www.dbp.ph

T

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@Tyronepiad

he Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) provided P35.95-billion worth of loans to 349 local government units (LGUs) across the country in the first half.

In a statement on Wednesday, the state-run bank said this is part of its initiative in extending financial assistance to LGUs amid the economic

slowdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa

said the bank is teaming up with local chief executives and the Department of Finance in crafting a financial aid package. This includes interest payment subsidies on new loans and financial support to severely impacted industries.

“DBP recognizes that LGUs are the fulcrum of inclusive development,” he said. “We are one with them in formulating responsive actions that would hasten response and recovery efforts despite prevailing challenges.”

Apart from extending credit, DBP said it is providing advisory service to projects aimed at boosting the

local economy.

The DBP chief shared that the bank is working towards streamlining its efforts in one umbrella loan program that would serve as the platform for the government’s stimulus package for LGUs. “These types of interventions would greatly benefit lower-tier LGUs, as they scale up social and economic interventions for their constituents and boost their resiliency against future downturns,” Herbosa said.

The state-owned bank has been allotted P1 billion by the government for its interest subsidy program for LGU loans.

Herbosa said the funds from Bayanihan 2 would allow the bank to have longer repayment terms for LGUs of up to 15 years. The loans will be offered at a lower interest rate of 4 percent per annum, half of which will be subsidized.

DBP is capping the interest rate subsidy at P10 million for provincial and city governments and P5 million for municipalities.

The DBP recently listed its P21billion fixed rate series 2 bonds with the Philippine Dealing Exchange.

The bonds due in 2022 carry an interest rate of 2.5 percent.

This, after raising P18.125 billion from sustainability bond issuance under the same bond program last year.

Last week, DBP reported that its nine-month net income fell by 26.69 percent to P3.24 billion from P4.42 billion year-on-year because of a higher buffer for credit losses. Capitalization, meanwhile, rose by 9.49 percent to P64.01 billion for the period from P58.56 billion year-on-year.

Thai central bank holds key rate, cuts 2021 growth forecast

T

he Bank of Thailand kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged for a fifth straight meeting to preserve its limited policy space, while reiterating concerns about a currency rally and lowering its economic growth forecast for next year.

The central bank held the policy rate Wednesday at 0.5 percent in a unanimous decision, after cutting by a total of 75 basis points earlier this year, and said it stood ready to use more monetary tools if necessary.

Sixteen of 17 economists in a Bloomberg survey predicted the hold, with one expecting a 25-basis point cut.

The bank will “monitor the adequacy of the government measures and various risks, especially the new wave of the domestic outbreak, in deliberating monetary policy going forward,” according to a statement announcing the decision. “Fiscal measures must continue to sustain the economy.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated two of Thailand’s main growth drivers, tourism and trade.

The government has responded with a series of stimulus measures, recently approving an additional $1.4 billion expenditure for the first quarter of 2021. A fresh virus outbreak over the weekend has added a new risk to the fragile recovery.

Strength in the baht currency, which has rallied more than 9 percent from this year’s low in April, has emerged as a key concern as the government seeks to support exports.

The baht was largely unchanged after the decision, up 0.1 percent to 30.195 per dollar as of 2:19 p.m. in Bangkok.

Seeking to stem baht gains, the central bank has issued a variety of measures to boost capital outflows, and its dollar purchases pushed foreign reserves to a record $255.8 billion in the week ended December 11. Thailand recently was added to a United States Treasury Department monitoring list over its foreign-ex-

A tuk tuk driver waits for a customer at a near-empty Khao San Road in Bangkok, Thailand on September 2, 2020. Thailand has reported zero locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases for 100 days in a row, joining a small group of places like Taiwan where the pathogen has been virtually eliminated. Bloomberg

change intervention. The bank said Wednesday it may need to consider more measures to rein in the currency. Krystal Tan, an economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., said the bank’s message Wednesday was similar to what it said at its November meeting.

“We note however that the latest numbers assume a limited and shortterm impact from the virus outbreak, so if the outbreak escalates, the Bank of Thailand could come under more pressure to act,” she said.

Other key points from Wednesday’s announcement: n The bank sees GDP growing 4.8 percent in 2022 n Exports are expected to decline 7.4 percent this year before growing 5.7 percent in 2021 n After closing its borders for much of this year, the central bank expects Thailand to welcome 5.5 million tourists in 2021—down from an estimate of 9 million as recently as September—and 23 million in 2022.

That’s well below the 40 million figure from 2019, however n Titanun said the bank assumes 20 percent of Thailand’s population will have been vaccinated by the end of 2021 and about 70 percent by the end of 2022

n The bank maintained its inflation forecast at -0.9 percent for this year and +1 percent for next year n The bank expects to see a current-account surplus of $16.2 billion in 2020 and $11.6 billion in 2021.

Bloomberg News

Security Bank issues holiday advisory

S

ecurity Bank said on Wednesday that all its branches nationwide will be open on December 28 to 29. Meanwhile, its branches will be closed on December 24, December 25, December 31 and January 1, 2021.

The following provincial branches will be open on December 30 and January 2, 2021. n Butuan Branch

Dipolog Branch Tacloban Rizal Branch Tacloban Veteranos Branch Cebu-Danao Branch Zamboanga Branch The rest of its branches will be closed on those dates.

Visit https://www.securitybank.com/banking-advisory/ for its complete holiday branch schedule. n n n n n

www.businessmirror.com.ph

China Bank ties up with MultiSys to boost digital offering for target clients

C

hina Banking Corp. is teaming up with software solutions firm MultiSys Technologies Corp. to beef up its digital offering for corporate clients.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Sy-led bank said that MultiSys will be providing solutions to boost its cash management capabilities.

These include expanding the bank’s electronic collection channels and ecommerce solutions.

China Bank said such initiatives would encourage business clients, especially the small and medium enterprises, to facilitate transactions online.

Through the partnership, the bank said it will be able to provide a digital platform for cash payment, load e-wallets, transfer funds and withdraw government cash aids, among others.

“Our partnership with MultiSys is in line with our strategy to fast-track and scale up our ongoing digitization efforts to make banking progressively easier, safer, and more inclusive,” China Bank Chief Operating Officer Romeo D. Uyan said.

“The optimization of China Bank’s digital channels and backend processes through our solutions is one of our ways to help the banking industry and the country in its digital transformation journey,” MultiSys CEO and founder David Almirol Jr. said. “Enabling our partners from

various industries to reach their full digital potential is our commitment to our customers, clients and stakeholders.”

Recently, the bank was able to keep its Baa2 rating with stable outlook from debt watcher Moody’s Investor Service despite the current economic crisis.

The bank’s investment grade rating, which is at the same level as the Philippine sovereign rating, covers its long-term foreign currency counterparty risk and long-term foreign currency deposit.

China Bank saw its net income increase by 23 percent to P8.2 billion in January to September, thanks to its robust core businesses. Net earnings for the third quarter alone, meanwhile, improved by 21 percent to P3 billion year-on-year.

Provisions for potential credit losses were up by 12 times to P6.3 billion as of end-September. In the same period, its nonperforming loans (NPL) ratio and NPL coverage stood at 2.5 percent and 104 percent, respectively.

In October, the bank raised over P15 billion from its fixed rate bond offering. Proceeds of the transaction were earmarked for the bank’s strategic initiatives and expansion plans.

China Bank shares climbed by 0.40 percent, or 10 centavos, to close at P25.20 each amid the 0.03-percent rise for the benchmark index

The BEST of Associations in 2020

I

f 2020 was a software program, one may perhaps wittingly say: “Can it be uninstalled and installed again? This version has a virus!”

Twenty-twenty was indeed a challenging year to many, including the association community. Restrictions on in-person events have reduced the associations’ ability to engage with their members face to face, and consequently their ability to raise needed revenues. It also stretched associations’ working hours as members wanted quick information on how to cope with the pandemic as well as solutions to their own organizational problems. Add to this the acceleration of adapting to new technologies and fast-tracking their digital transformation programs.

We all know, too, that a crisis brings forth opportunities. While 2020 has caused disruption to associations, it also ushered in new and fresh ways of doing things. Here are my take on the BEST that local associations did in 2020: B—Being adaptable. Associations, i.e., trade associations and professional societies, have coped well by being flexible in moving their activities from physical to virtual/online, e.g., webinars, e-newsletters, and knowledge content.

They have institutionalized WFH (work from home) arrangement for their staff. They have rationalized their budgets, spending only for essential needs and have partnered with like-minded associations in organizing training events and advocacy activities.

E—Engaging members where they are. Associations have used multi-channel communication such as emails and mobile phone text messaging as well as social media to reach out and engage with their members. They have provided more free content and given relief to members unable to pay their membership dues, either through deferment or installment basis.

They have invested in public relations and social initiatives to help position the industry or profession of their members.

S—Sourcingnewrevenuestreams.

Realizing a marked decline in revenues as membership dues stalled,

Association World Octavio Peralta events cancelled or turned virtual, and product sales reduced, associations swiftly reviewed their business models. They have re-purposed their content assets, e.g., training videos, printed articles, etc. into on-demand knowledge resources. They have converted their in-person educational seminars into webinars and e-learning programs. They have sharpened their focus on sponsorship opportunities and are now working on partnerships that are long-term and generate greater ROIs. T—Taking technology by heart (and mind). While going digital before was in the backburner and out of mind, the pandemic has made associations re-think and accelerate their digital initiatives. Use of video conference platforms and AI for marketing and membership engagement, building online communities, and investing in association management software, were all taken to heart by associations to move steadily forward.

Ten months into the pandemic, associations faced challenges they never have anticipated. However, they also quickly recognized that these were surmountable. As months progressed, the good news is that associations have done their BEST in adapting to the new way of managing their operations.

Merry Christmas to all and may the spirit of Christmas bring hope and joy to all of us!

The column contributor, Octavio ‘Bobby’ Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific, Founder & CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives and President of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations. The purpose of PCAAE— the “association of associations”—is to advance the association management profession and to make associations well-governed and sustainable.

PCAAE enjoys the support of ADFIAP, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the Philippine International Convention Center. E-mail: obp@adfiap.org

Sports BusinessMirror

Editor: Jun Lomibao

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 A9

THE Lakers’ (from left) Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Quinn Cook show their championship rings before their team’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. AP

L

OS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Lakers received their National Basketball Association (NBA) championship rings Tuesday night in an empty arena that still felt filled with warmth from their families, friends and millions of fans worldwide.

And while they put the blindingly brilliant jewelry on their fingers, the Lakers promised to hold a real party for their 17th championship as soon as everyone can attend.

Face shields put in danger bikers, joggers—Sen. Pia

“I’m going to take a second to speak directly to Lakers fans: We miss you so much,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said. “The team misses you, but someday soon, we’ll be together. And when we are together, we have something special to celebrate.”

Just 72 days after LeBron James, Anthony Davis and their teammates finished off the Miami Heat in the NBA bubble, the Lakers returned from the shortest offseason in league history to get their reward. The coaches, executives and 11 returning players from last season’s championship team received their rings at Staples Center in a brief, warm ceremony before their regular season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The raising of the banner honoring their 17th championship is going to wait until fans are in Staples Center to enjoy it with them. The spot where it will hang eventually on the arena

LAKERS GET RINGS IN EMPTY ARENA

walls is currently occupied by a black banner reading: “STAY TUNED, LAKERS FAMILY.” The ring presentations observed social distancing measures that seemed totally appropriate for 2020. The families of the Lakers’ players and coaches appeared in short, heartfelt videos of introduction before the players walked up to an individual podium to grab the rings by themselves.

Davis was cheered on by his parents, who expressed their pride in all of his basketball accomplishments. James’s mother, uncles and children virtually congratulated him before he claimed his ring and joyously held up four fingers in honor of his four NBA titles with three franchises.

When general manager Rob Pelinka put his ring on his right hand, he threw up a 2 and 4 with his fingers in honor of Kobe Bryant.

“You showed last year what a talented

group of individuals can accomplish if they buy into being a team,” Lakers Coach Frank Vogel told his players. “To our fans, we cannot wait until it is safe enough for you guys to be back at Staples Center so we can perform in front of you and celebrate all this stuff with you guys. We thank you and we love you.”

Jason of Beverly Hills, the Lakers’ traditional jeweler, created the rings, just as he did for the 2009 and 2010 championship teams led by Bryant, Pau Gasol and Coach Phil Jackson.

James and Davis led the Lakers to the title in the NBA’s Florida bubble during the first season of their West Coast partnership, making a 16-5 postseason run to James’s fourth championship and Davis’s first.

CLIPPERS SPOIL LAKERS’ FUN

THE Los Angeles Clippers gave a performance that showed this retooled team is determined to contend for its own

jewelry several months from now.

Paul George scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half, Kawhi Leonard added 26 points and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied past the Los Angeles Lakers on the NBA champions’ ring ceremony night for a 116-109 victory on Tuesday.

George went 13 of 18 with five 3-pointers in an outstanding first game since agreeing to add four years and $190 million to his contract with the Clippers, who never trailed in the latest meeting of Southern California’s two NBA powerhouses. The Clippers beat the Lakers in the season opener for the second straight year while winning coach Tyronn Lue’s debut.

The Clippers stayed in their locker room while the Lakers received their rings, but they emerged with purpose and determined play— from their two superstars in particular.

“Our focus was on us,” Lue said. “The Lakers,

MPBL targets January or February resumption of semis, finals in Subic Cayetano

S

By Butch Fernandez

EN. Pia Cayetano, warning against high risk of accidents, pleaded for joggers and bikers’ exemption from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ imposition of mandatory face shields to contain the spread of the deadly Covid-19.

“I join the biking community in expressing concern on the safety of using a face shield while biking,” Cayetano, also a biker, aired the appeal on Wednesday.

Citing her experience as a cyclist on the road, the senator, known to be a health buff, added: “I know how important it is to be fully aware of your surroundings.”

She warned that a face shield could drastically impair one’s vision and perception of space.

In a statement, the administration senator asked the IATF to consider exempting both cyclists and joggers from wearing face shields.

“Moreover, recognizing the role of exercise in promoting mental and physical health, I also ask the IATF to exempt joggers from the requirement when jogging in open spaces, provided they observe social distancing measures,” Cayetano said.

The senator stressed that “as a cyclist, I’m very concerned about the safety of fellow cyclists being required to use face shields,” warning that “this could drastically impair their vision and perception of space, which may lead to accidents.”

Earlier this week, Malacañang Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque Jr. said wearing face shields while jogging or biking are not yet being enforced pending evaluation and review by proper authorities.

Roque said joggers or cyclists could go on with their activities wearing only face masks.

The Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and Employment and other government agencies, he said, will issue a consolidated advice to the public on the proper use of face shields when leaving residences, including inclusion or exemption as maybe as appropriate.

It was Joint Task Force Covid Shield Commander Cesar Hawthorne Binag, not the IATF, who announced that joggers and cyclists should wear face shields on top of their face masks. Binag was a former president of the Table Tennis Association of the Philippines.

T

By Josef Ramos

HE Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) is eyeing either a January or early February resumption of its shuttered 2019 season semifinals and championship games in Subic, the league’s chief legal consultant Atty. Brando Viernesto told BusinessMirror on Wednesday.

“It’s going to be January or February [resumption of semifinals and finals]. Nothing

is lost though even [though] we didn’t end season 2019 this year,” said Viernesto, adding the 2021 MPBL season will most likely be played in a bubble if a vaccine against Covid-19 remains unavailable.

“We already canceled the 2020 season and we have an offer from Subic so we are exploring it if we can play the remaining games there,” he added.

Stalled were the sudden-death semifinal Games 5 between the Northern Division’s San

PHL karate leaning on Triple J

P

HILIPPINE karate will be leaning on a newfound lethal weapon called Triple J as the country hopes to qualify more athletes to the Tokyo Olympics next year.

Triple J stands for Filipino-Japanese Junna Tsukii, Filipino-American Joane Orbon and pure-bred Jamie Lim. All three are kumite competitors.

“We are banking on the strength of these three ladies for the Tokyo Olympics” Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation Inc. (KPSFI) President Richard Lim said. “I am confident on the Triple J’s chances. But I am not dismissing the chances of the men, too.”

Tsukii, 29, clinched bronze (50 kgs) in the Kuala Lumpur 2017 Southeast Asian Games and later a gold medal at the Philippine SEA Games last year. She sandwiched those medals with a bronze at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games.

Orbon, was once ranked world No. 7 in the 61-kg category. She switched federation and clinched bronze in the Philippine 2019 SEA Games, where Lim, daughter of basketball great Samboy Lim, bagged a gold medal in the 61 kgs class.

Tsukii is currently training in Japan, while Orbon is in the United States also training.

Lim is based in the country.

All three karatekas, according to Lim, will join the Philippine Sports Commission’s Olympic training bubble at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna, in January.

After getting the feel of collective training for six weeks, Lim said the Olympic hopefuls will fly to Turkey for a high-level preparation in time for the qualifiers in Paris in June.

Joining the Triple J are male karatekas Sharief Afif, Ivan Agustin and Alwyn Batican.

Annie Abad

Messi surpasses Pelé milestone

B

ARCELONA, Spain—Lionel Messi broke Pelé’s all-time scoring milestone for their clubs by netting his 644th career goal for Barcelona on Tuesday, while Atlético Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2-0 to increase its lead of the Spanish league.

Messi, who helped Barcelona win 3-0 at Valladolid, had equaled Pelé’s all-time scoring tally on Saturday. His 643rd career goal for Barcelona since his 2004 debut matched Pelé’s tally for Santos from 1957 to 1974.

For his 644th—Barcelona’s third of the night—Messi had help from 18-year-old Pedro “Pedri” González.

After receiving the ball near the edge of the area, Pedri deftly rolled his boot over the ball to push it behind him to meet the Argentine’s run. The slick pass left Messi clear to finally beat goalie Jordi Masip, who had denied with twice.

“When I began playing, I never thought I would break any record, much less the one I have surpassed today that belonged to Pelé,” Messi wrote on Instagram. “I only want to give my thanks to all those who have helped me all these years, my teammates, my family, my friends and those who support me every day.”

In a meeting between the front-runner and the sensation of the league this season, Atlético put on another dominant performance to show why it is the early title favorite. AP LIONEL MESSI scores his 644th goal for Barcelona. AP

Juan Knights and Makati City Skyscrappers and the Southern Division’s Davao Occidental Tigers and Basilan Steels. The finals will be a best-ofthree.

Viernesto said that they are awaiting the

response of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on their safety protocol proposal.

“We submitted in late October for the resumption of semifinals and finals matches in a

they deserved that ring. They had a great year, and you can’t take nothing away from them. Our focus wasn’t really on the Lakers. They were the best team last year, so congratulations to them again, but now we’re moving on.”

LeBron James scored 22 points and Anthony Davis had 18 for the Lakers.

The Lakers returned from the shortest offseason in league history and celebrated the franchise’s 17th title, but they couldn’t keep up with George and Leonard down the stretch.

Lakers Coach Frank Vogel also limited James to 28 minutes and Davis to 31, anticipating the long grind ahead on his veterans after a 10week offseason.

Serge Ibaka scored 15 points in his debut for the Clippers, who hadn’t played since blowing a 3-1 playoff series lead to Denver and ruining a much-anticipated conference final showdown with the waiting Lakers in the bubble. AP

bubble set up. We are just waiting for the IATF’s approval,” he said.

Makati City forced Game Five by beating San Juan City, 91-88, at The Arena in San Juan City while Davao beat Basilan, 81-76, also in Game Five last March 11, just four days before the enhanced community quarantine was imposed.

A10 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

PHL needs a clear energy transition plan

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ecent reports on vaccines working effectively make us optimistic about the Philippine economic forecast in 2021. Effective vaccines will help ignite faster economic recovery. Government has said that gross domestic product growth would recover and expand in 2021 by 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent. Global financial giant Morgan Stanley is more bullish about the Philippines’s strong econo­mic rebound next year against a backdrop of low inflation and the government’s infrastructure development push. In a recent report, Morgan Stanley hiked its 2021 GDP growth forecast for the Philippines to 13.5 percent from 13.1 percent.

Predictions that the Philippines can come out of the Covid-19 crisis with enhanced economic competitiveness are most welcome. However, historical data has shown that when the Philippines experienced fast economic growth, that expansion was directly proportional to electricity consumption. Thus, a sustained GDP growth entails rising demand in electricity.

Here’s the good news: Amid the pandemic, power rates have been on a downward trend as Meralco announced another reduction in consumers’ electricity bills, pushing rates to their lowest in three years. Meralco recently said that customers will have a net rate reduction of P1.3870 per kWh, equivalent to a bill reduction of more than P277 for a 200-kWh household. The lower power rates were partly attributed to Meralco’s new Power Supply Agreements, secured after a transparent competitive selection process last year. The new PSAs resulted in additional power supply and capacity to the grid, while leading to lower electricity prices for consumers.

Now the bad news: Despite the downward power rates trend, the current campaign for renewable energy (RE) as an immediate alternative source to produce baseload capacity may backfire on consumers in the short-term.

That’s because the country’s power grid is not yet suited to handle 100-percent renewable energy. If the economy has to grow next year as projected, more baseload power is needed.

Here’s the tricky part: Power generation companies running natural gas power plants also claim that natural gas is a cleaner power source compared with coal, which is cheaper. This is untrue, according to National Energy Technology Laboratory in the US. While natural gas emits 50 percent less carbon dioxide, it doesn’t mean it’s zero CO2, NETL said. CO2 is not only the harmful emission generated by natural gas development. It also generates methane, which, according to NETL, is a very powerful greenhouse gas. In the first two decades after its release, methane is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

No one disagrees with the use of renewable energy. However, at its technological infancy, RE is neither cheap nor reliable. With the exception of hydroelectric plants, RE is still an expensive and unreliable option for a country emerging from Covid devastation. By the sheer volume of our rising power demand based on our 2021 economic growth forecast, we need cheap and reliable sources of power that can provide us with a stable baseload generating capacity. That will insulate us from shortages and prevent speculators from playing the wholesale electricity spot market every time reserves become thin.

The Philippines, which is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, can help in the global efforts to avert climate crisis by adopting a comprehensive energy transition plan. The government must do this with the power consumers in mind. We need strong action, which will ensure that Filipinos will be paying less to keep their lights on.

It’s encouraging to know that Meralco, the country’s largest utility distribution company, supports the zero-carbon emission global plan. Meralco PowerGen, the power generation arm of Meralco, said it supports DOE’s energy mix plan to ensure the country’s energy security. The company is focusing on sustaining energy for the country’s future through the implementation of an energy transition plan.

MGen President and CEO Rogelio Singson said that contrary to widespread belief that the company is purely focusing on building coal-fired power plants, the company is now into an energy transition plan, which will allow them to introduce RE sources to generate additional power supply. Singson said: “We will develop more renewable projects and, at the same time, be conscious of our need to generate lowest cost electricity to reach the farthest communities in the country.”

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I

t’s been a hell of a year.

For the Comelec, 2020 started on a high note—with the resumption of voter registration in preparation for the 2022 National and Local Elections. We started in January with good registration numbers. In the first week alone, more than a hundred thousand applications were received in Comelec offices nationwide. But with Covid-19 emerging as a major health crisis, and with the early recognition of social distancing as a key response to the virus, the Comelec suspended voter registration nationwide beginning March 10.

Knowing what we know now about how Covid-19 spreads, it’s probably safe to say that this action, which antedated similar recommendations from health authorities, probably saved lives.

The resumption of voter registration activities was attempted many times since March, but the prevailing conditions made it unsafe for both the general public and Comelec personnel to do so. However, on June 15, 2020, the Comelec took its first tentative steps back towards normalcy with the resumption of the issuance of voter certifications. This was in response to the growing demand for such certifications, which—as it turned out—were being used to qualify for government aid.

Throughout the country, Comelec offices underwent retrofitting to become Covid-ready. This involved the installation of barriers—made of either glass or plastic—between Comelec staff and the public; dis-

infection stations; and social distancing measures. By September, with retrofitting completed in all the Comelec offices throughout the country, voter registration resumed in all places under general community quarantine. There were moves from outside the Comelec to have the suspension of registration extended indefinitely, but Comelec forged ahead. Strict safety protocols attended the resumption, of course, including a stringent “no face mask, no face shield, no entry” policy. As a consequence, since voter registration resumed on September 1, 2020, there has been no incidence of Covid transmission related to voter registration.

Sadly, the strict anti-Covid measures have taken their toll. As

of December 11, only 863,309 applications for voter registration, transfer, reactivation and so on, have been received in Comelec offices throughout the country. With more than 5 million expected to register, and with the registration period scheduled to come to a close at the end of September 2021, having less than a million applicants over a 3-month period is, to be perfectly frank, worrisome.

Hopefully, the coming year will bring better numbers. And it is possible that the odds will ever so slightly be in our favor.

First—assuming the holidays don’t bring a runaway surge in new cases of Covid-19, more and more places in the Philippines are being placed under general community quarantine. This signifies that next year might see broad areas seeing more and more Covid-free days.

When that happens, the Comelec

The Christmas spirit is service

C

Throughout the year, we’ve learned how many healthcare workers have had to take on double, even triple shifts, for the lack of relievers. If anything, the pandemic has demonstrated the need for us to deepen our pool of doctors and nurses and expand the venues wherein they could train.

The past year has been a great challenge. The Covid-19 pandemic forced our country to adopt the strictest of quarantine measures. Many have struggled—and continue to do so. But in the face of such hard-

that we’ve proposed measures that aim to strengthen the health-care system. The Frontline Health Workers Welfare Act of 2020, for example, seeks to provide our health workers with allowances, continuing education plans, and vaccinations outside of the provisions of the Bayanihan To Recover As One Act (RA 11494).

Indeed, not only should they be first in line to be vaccinated, they should

Sonny M. Angara

Better Days

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Throughout the country, Comelec offices underwent retrofitting to become Covid-ready. This involved the installation of barriers —made of either glass or plastic —between Comelec staff and the public; disinfection stations; and social distancing measures.

By September, with retrofitting completed in all the Comelec offices throughout the country, voter registration resumed in all places under General Community Quarantine.

will consider allowing satellite registration—subject to strict safety protocols—which will drive up the number of applicants as the process becomes more accessible.

Second—we will start seeing the effects of the quiet roll-out of https:// irehistro.comelec.gov.ph. Re-launched on December 11, iRehistro allows people to fill up their application forms online, cutting down on the time people need to spend at Comelec offices. Less time at the office means less opportunity for Covid transmission, after all.

And third—with some sort of vaccine being available by the latter half of 2021, a late period surge in registrants may well push us over the top and allow us to meet our projections. Although, to be honest, I wouldn’t hold my breath for this.

Still, it remains a possibility.

Also in 2020, the President nominated two new Commissioners—Michael Peloton and Aimee Ferolino Ampoloquio—to replace retired Commissioners Luie Tito F. Guia and Al A. Parreno. Both nominees have distinguished themselves in their respective careers—Peloton as a lawyer with extensive experience in IT, and Ampoloquio as a career Comelec official who literally rose through to the ranks—and are expected to further distinguish themselves as Commissioners once confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.

In that, at least, the Comelec is also ending 2020 on a high note. Oh, and, may you have a Safe Christmas and a much better New Year.

Lourdes M. Fernandez

Senior Editors

Creative Director Chief Photographer

Comelec in 2020

hristmas is the greatest story of a promise fulfilled. For many Filipinos, it is the embodiment of God’s greatest gift: his only Son becoming mortal, to serve as the instrument of our salvation. By following the example of Jesus Christ, whose life was dedicated to love and service, we all become instruments of salvation as well, for others and ourselves. That is what we should be reminded of during the season—that all of us are called to serve each other, in one way or another. ship, many have also risen to the occasion to serve those most in need.

No other group of people has done this more than our frontline healthcare workers.

It is with their service in mind

also receive ample financial support, sooner rather than later.

Throughout the year, we’ve learned how many health-care workers have had to take on double, even triple shifts, for the lack of relievers.

If anything, the pandemic has demonstrated the need for us to deepen our pool of doctors and nurses and expand the venues wherein they could train.

This is why we filed the Healthcare Facility Augmentation Act (SB 1850), which seeks to establish a hospital in every State University and College (SUC) that offers medical degrees, with each of the hospitals having a 50-bed capacity. These hospitals will serve as training grounds for medical students who are enrolled in the respective SUCs, similar to how it is done with UP-PGH. SUC graduates who availed themselves of government scholarships will then be See “Angara,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

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The world is waiting for the sunrise

Joining the shepherds Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Alálaong Bagá

Tito Genova Valiente

annotations

The world is waiting the sunrise, And every rose is covered with dew.

—From a post-World War 1 song

B

y December, the best Christmas gift was the arrival of the vaccine. It came under not one but many brands: some were vetted to be good; the others were prime suspect for side effects ranging from mild to grave.

This was a human achievement, a feat that did not remain in the obscure world of scientific discoveries.

The old adage about necessity as the mother of invention came into fruition. There was a need for a vaccine.

Early on, the leader of our republic bragged about having a vaccine. Where it came from or from where it would be sourced, no one knew. Some time in September and November, news came out that the country did not have enough fund for the vaccine.

By December, with brands of vaccine being bandied around and with photos of a Filipino nurse doing the first vaccination in London, news began to filter in that we may not be able to secure the vaccine by December, and not even by January.

The news was vague as everything else that comes out of the mouthpieces of this government.

Metaphors of someone dropping the ball circulated. The hope for cure was reduced to a ball, or a handling of it. Some of us waited for someone to be dubbed having no balls. But the toxicity of press releases stopped at the gate of vestigial propriety.

We may be fighting each other in the realm of politics and economics (i.e., power and greed) but we always have this tender cruelty in us to stop and look, and congratulate each other for our organic love for the country and our countrymen.

The feeling, of course, like all pretenses, is vacuous but convincing, providing as it does the bed of a national psychosis.

Strange for a government that is not built on a nation that our frailty is regularly labeled part of our national character.

That character would have a grand performance this December.

If our lives as Filipinos were a dictionary, the word “vaccine” would be followed by another word beginning in “V,” and that would be “violence.”

Less than a week before Christmas, a video circulated in the Internet and through other forms of social media. This was about a policeman who shot to death a mother and son, while his daughter stood by.

As soon as the video and the news came out, there was conflagration online. The policeman was condemned, and rightly so. Many condemned also the daughter, whereupon the politically correct in many of us raised a flag to urge that we leave the girl out of the murder.

I could imagine many of us were theorizing about the incident, framing that act within abuse of power and the prevailing atmosphere of impunity.

Are those urging us to leave the girl the same people who would imbue the child the right to his or her own body? Where are we with children and young people? Do we

Angara. . .

continued from A10

required to render services in their home campus hospitals.

The subject of scholarships and service is also at the heart of the Doktor Para Sa Bayan Act, which is awaiting the President’s signature.

The measure will mandate that the government will provide medical scholarships at SUCs, and their pri-

still know our children? Have we lost them to technologies?

The others demanded the context for the shooting.

What excuses are there needed for a murder to be forgotten or forgiven? A murder is a murder. A policeman stands by close to the mother, despair and helplessness in her body and face, who embraces her son as if her hands around him could save him from anything. Only mothers could understand that gesture; only women who took care of children and other men would believe in the sanctity of embrace. But the man whose authority is gripped by a hand with the gun is formidable.

He will not be stopped. His daughter stands by formidable as well, or even more formidable because she has a policeman for a father.

Here is an exercise: Remove the sound; forget about the story. Watch simply how the act unfolds. Then rage. Do not think. Philosophical thoughts and psychological babbles have made us inured to violence and not protected from it. We have become the true homo sapiens, thinking in the face of acts that do not demand intelligence.

Go back to the video. Behold the face of the young girl now blurred because we are protecting her. There are new postings pleading we do not drag the girl into the issue. But the girl is part of it. We are sourcing ideologies about youths that are ancient and have not been tested presently. Only adults commit crimes, or so we believe. We have made of caveats new principles in living.

We have evolved.

We are our own violence.

While two people are already dead, the video is still alive online.

We can view it over and over. The third time, or even as early as the second time, we watch the video: the senseless death of a mother and child and the senseless power of the policeman begin to make sense. As for the daughter protected by so many laws and her age, there are words that come across as felicitations wishing she would recover from the trauma of that incident, and grow into a nice person. We pray that she learns from the lesson of that day, afterall the years that will follow will all be founded on a mother and her son whose deaths, whether she likes it or not, ties her to any heaven or hell.

As for us, it appears no thinking matters now. No poetry is ever graceful or mournful to advocate peace or rage.

The world is waiting for the sunrise while we continue to contemplate hope in a forever sunset. An angry street awaits if the light of the next day does not come upon us.

And so, Merry Christmas.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

vately owned counterparts if there are none in a given area. These scholarships will be for qualified students who do not have the resources for medical school. In exchange, they will serve in government hospitals and public health offices, ideally in their hometowns or provinces.

Our health-care workers have also had to make do with less-thanideal facilities. Hence, to hasten the build-up of our hospitals and healthcare institutions, we co-authored

T

he dawn Mass on Christmas day used to be referred to as the Shepherds’ Mass, because the Gospel reading narrates the visit of the shepherds to the newborn Jesus (Luke 2:1520). These shepherds symbolize early on the people who have been transformed into believers and who in the midst of the hardships of life proclaim the glory to God.

Let’s go and see Their livelihood is not everything; this is something different and really extraordinary, the shepherds must have thought after they heard the angel’s announcement to them of the good news that the Messiah and Lord has been born that day in the city of David. Pointedly, they were told by the angel of the particular sign by which they would recognize the newborn savior: an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. The Lord one like them, needing swaddling clothes too and in their midst among the animals to be fed and looked after!

The shepherds did not hesitate; they went in haste to see what the angel had made known to them. Invited to the happening of great joy to all the people, the shepherds responded in faith with alacrity.

The shepherds were the poor on

the outskirts of Bethlehem and at the margins of society. Their means of livelihood required of them staying with the flocks in the hills, tending and protecting them. Seen as irreligious or untrustworthy, they could not be part of the normal community, whether in worship or in socialization. But they took the risk of leaving their flocks in search of a newborn baby. It would be a big loss, or the ire of the owners, should anything happen to the flocks while they were gone. But they were not deterred by such considerations. They felt they should go and see what the Lord has made known to them; they were responding to divine revelation and carrying out the heavenly directive explicitly given to them.

Glorifying God, reflecting

And the shepherds found Mary and Joseph and the infant lying in the

Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 A11

The shepherds going in haste in search of the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger were the first to respond to the divine invitation to connect with the newborn Savior.

They were willing to leave all for the sake of the child. manger. Their openness to God and willingness to listen and to follow what is proclaimed to them empowered them with the eyes of faith to see beyond appearances, recognizing their Messiah and Lord even in the unlikely situation, and enabling them to detect and encounter the divine in the ordinariness of life.

They became convinced of the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah, and they in their simplicity of heart and in the outburst of their faith proclaimed to all they met the message about the child that had been told them. The shepherds became the first evangelizers, bearers of the good news, about the Messiah lying in a manger. And people were amazed by the strange narrative from the shepherds, who did not only place in jeopardy their responsibilities but also now put their future at risk by their incredible claims.

The shepherds returned to their flocks praising God. They had a rare religious experience; their lives would not be the same again, even if they had resumed the normal pattern of their existence. These humble,

Can the Philippine deliver on its climate pledges to the Paris Agreement?

The Philippines’s Climate Change Commission (CCC) is now undertaking what it calls as a series of consultations with various stakeholders— government agencies, civil society organizations, private and business sectors and academe—on the country’s “sustainable development ambitions.” The CCC lists these as follows: sustainable industrial development, eradication of poverty and provision of basic needs, social and climate justice, energy security, and gender and women’s empowerment.

The importance of having an ambitious but doable Philippine program of climate mitigation, adaptation and adjustment policies as the country’s instrument for survival as well as its contribution to the global fight against global warming and varied climate change risks cannot be overemphasized. As it is, the country is facing severe sustainability challenge on three inter-related

fronts: economic (flattened economy, weak industry and agriculture, and uncertain future for the nation’s life savers: overseas employment and call center/BPO sector); social (extreme social and economic inequality, weak job-health-social protection for the majority); and environmental (climate change risks and degraded environment).

In a draft NDC paper for 2020, the CCC asserts that the government seeks the “transformation” of the country’s socioeconomic sectors and the building of “a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy.” We agree.

The problem is we do not see any clear “transformation program” in place. What we see instead are endless rhetorics on sustainable development and disaster readiness.

Is this the reason why the Berlinbased Climate Action Tracker rated the original NDC submission of the Philippines as equivalent to “2.0 C

compatible” instead of the ideal “1.5 C compatible”? The CAT explained (November 27, 2020 release): “The ‘2.0 C compatible’ rating indicates that the Philippines’s climate commitment in 2030 is within the range of what is considered to be a fair share of global effort but is not consistent with the Paris Agreement.

This approach requires other countries to make deeper reductions and comparably greater effort to limit warming to 1.5 C. If all the countries were to follow the Philippines’s approach, warming could be held below—but not well below—2.0 C, and hence would still be too high to be consistent with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 C temperature limit, a threshold the Philippines strongly fought for in 2015 during the Paris negotiations.

“Our rating of the Philippines is based on its conditional NDC of reducing GHG emissions by 70 percent below business-as-usual levels by 2030. The Philippines’s BAU scenario, against which the NDC is to be measured, has not yet been published as of November 2020. For the quantification of the conditional NDC target, we thus apply the reduction target to the BAU as estimated

by CAT…” In short, the government, the CCC in particular, has not been truly transparent on the country’s NDC and the supporting programs that should help the country meet its GHG targets under the Paris Agreement. What, in the first place, is this “conditional NDC”? Why has the CCC failed to come up with a full-blown public discussion and media dissemination on the country’s NDC submission? Since global warming threatens our collective existence as a people, why are Malacanang and the CCC, together with DENR and other agen-

the DOH Hospital Bed Capacity and Service Capability Rationalization Act (SB 1876). This measure seeks to address the lack of bed capacity in public hospitals by removing the need for legislative processes to directly authorize improvements. The DOH will also be mandated to develop a long-term Philippine Health Facility Development Plan to guide modernization and development for all government health facilities.

Meanwhile, the lack of specialized

care around the country is addressed through the Satellite Specialty Hospitals Act of 2020 (SB 1873). This seeks to establish regional facilities under the umbrella of institutions such as the National Kidney Institute, Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and Philippine Children’s Medical Center. Our people shouldn’t have to travel all the way to Manila to receive top-notch treatment.

Finally, we have the Philippine eHealth Systems and Services Act

(SB 1618), which aims to develop the resources and systems that will allow people to meet health-care providers through telemedicine platforms.

This will be particularly advantageous for patients who are unable to physically visit a local medical facility, such as during the pandemic.

Hopefully, all these measures will help create a more robust health-care system. Enacting them swiftly would be a most decisive way of honoring the sacrifices of our health-care

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

A

side from looking for vaccines to inoculate their citizens against the Covid-19 pandemic, governments around the world are busy updating their “Nationally-Determined Contributions” or NDCs under the Paris Agreement of 2015. Roughly, the NDCs are pledges of the UN Member States to help combat global warming by reducing their respective national GHG emissions and preparing their countries against climate change risks through a combination of mitigation, adaptation and related adjustment policies. The Paris Agreement requires the UN Member States to submit progress reports on the NDCs every five years. The ultimate goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep the rise in global temperature below 2.0 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial period; the ideal target: 1.5 degrees Celsius maximum.

poor and probably uneducated shepherds took the divine invitation seriously and searched for their Lord.

And they were transformed into believers and sharers of their faith, overflowing with joy and glorifying God. Their belief seemed unaffected by the reactions of others.

Alálaong bagá, the shepherds going in haste in search of the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger were the first to respond to the divine invitation to connect with the newborn Savior.

They were willing to leave all for the sake of the child. They found what they were told to look for, and they became bearers of the good news and sharers of the faith. And in the midst of this extraordinary unfolding of what may be called the first public Christmas celebration of the mystery of the birth of Jesus Christ (as dramatized incidentally in the Spanish and Filipino folklore “Los Pastores”), the figure of Mary the mother of Jesus is quietly inserted by the evangelist in his narration. Reflecting in her heart on all that the shepherds were saying about the child, Mary who was the first to experience the power of God reminds us that respectful contemplation of the mystery of what God has done is essential for us in truly celebrating Christmas, under whatever circumstances.

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

cies, not mobilizing the citizenry in this life-and-death battle to contain the CC risks (e.g., typhoons, sea rise, etc.) and re-organize the economy to become resilient and sustainable?

A major area where the Philippines is clearly failing in relation to the Paris Agreement is the country’s handling of its energy program. Instead of a shift to the cleaner nonrenewables, the DOE has allowed the deepening of Philippine reliance on fossil fuel, particularly coal and gas.

The recent DOE announcement of a “moratorium” on new coal plants does not stop development work on coal projects that are on the pipeline and the continued operations of existing coal plants, old as well as a score of new ones that were established in the last 10 or so years.

CSO researchers have thus rightly raised the alarm: these coal projects will chain the country to coal in the next 20 years or so, or way beyond the 2030 initial timeline of the Paris Agreement and the 2040 Ambisyon 2040 of Neda.

Thus, instead of GHG reduction, the emerging scenario is that the Philippines will become a major GHG emitter, a supreme irony given the observation by CAT that it was the Philippines that fought hard in 2015 for the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5 C to 2.0 C maximum rise in global temperature. Incidentally, the DOE has a “coal roadmap 2017-2040,” which shows the DOE’s all-out support for coal production by coal miners, big and small, with “delineated coal reserves” projected from 478 MMMT to 766 MMMT between 2023 and 2040.

Given the foregoing and the absence of a comprehensive program of transformation for various sectors of the economy, it is doubtful if the Philippines can deliver on its pledges to the Paris Agreement. workers and thanking them for their selfless service in the past year. Indeed, that would be the greatest service we in government could offer them this Christmas.

Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 16 years—nine years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and seven as Senator. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

A12 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

Amid pandemic, BOI to miss its 2020 target of ₧1 trillion

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

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@alyasjah

HE Board of Investments (BOI) will fall short of its target to reach P1 trillion in pledges this year, as the Covid-19 pandemic prevented firms here and abroad from pushing through with their new and expansion projects.

Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo told reporters the agency is expected to miss its 2020 target of hitting P1 trillion for the second consecutive year. He said the BOI has so far recorded P905 billion in investment pledges, nearly P100 billion short of the goal.

“As of the last board meeting, we are at P905 billion. We are still short of P95 billion for the

P1 trillion. We have a last board meeting this coming December 28, but we don’t know if that would be enough to meet [that target],” Rodolfo said.

He added many projects are still on the pipeline, but the BOI is not forcing the issue. Firms, he explained, are watching how the pandemic develops next year, particularly with the rollout of the vaccines scheduled by the

first quarter.

“We should understand if we fail to hit the target. We have a lot in the pipeline, but we are not forcing the issue. If it won’t reach, then it won’t,” the investment official said.

Rodolfo disclosed at least P68 billion worth of projects are pending government approval. These projects will likely be endorsed in the December 28 board meeting,

but would not be sufficient still to bring the BOI’s investment total for 2020 to P1 trillion.

According to Rodolfo, bulk of the projects registered with the BOI this year belong to the infrastructure sector, as well as the telecommunications industry.

Capital applied to the BOI hit an all-time high P1.14 trillion last year, as investments poured by foreign firms jumped

over threefold to overcome uncertainties on the domestic and international fronts.

In 2019 investment pledges approved by the BOI grew nearly 25 percent to P1.14 trillion, from P914.96 billion in 2018. As such, the BOI managed to attain its objective of registering P1 trillion worth of investments last year, marking the third consecutive year the agency posted a record high.

Companies BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

JG Summit, MPIC transfer holdings in GBP to MGen

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By VG Cabuag

@villygc

onglomerates JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) on Wednesday said they have agreed to transfer their respective holdings in Global Business Power Corp. (GBP) to just one company.

“We are happy with how GBP has performed since our investment in 2016. The challenge now is how to further grow the business and take it to the next level. I am confident that combining this under Meralco where JG Summit is also a significant shareholder is the best way to achieve synergies and create further value,” JG Summit President and CEO Lance Gokongwei said.

MPIC President and CEO Jose Ma. K. Lim said the combination is a strategic one for the conglomerate as it presents opportunities in terms of promoting scale and operational efficiency, while at the same time streamlining capital for MPIC’s other growth areas.

“Each of the two parties has complementary strengths and thus together can create a solid and unique platform for strategic growth. The combined group will be in a strong position to respond to the needs of the country as the economy makes a strong rebound in 2021, with the now brighter prospect of available

vaccines against Covid-19.”

“With GBP’s operational experience of successfully running its own portfolio of generation assets, coupled with MGen’s own record of managing the first supercritical generation plant in the country, MGen will be better placed to focus on its plan to build its own generation portfolio, including an ambition to own at least 1 GW in renewable energy capacity in five years,” Meralco President Ray C. Espinosa said.

MGen is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meralco, where MPIC holds an effective 45.46-percent interest, while JG Summit holds a 29.56-percent interest.

The transaction is subject to closing conditions, including third party approvals, and is expected to close within the first quarter of 2021, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Alpha Primus Advisors acted as financial advisor to Meralco/ MGEN with Picazo Law as its legal advisor.

In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the companies said their holdings will be transferred Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), a unit of power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

JG Summit holds a 30-percent ownership interest in GBP while MPIC, through a subsidiary, holds a 56-percent interest. MGen currently owns the remaining 14 percent.

As a result of the transaction,

MGen will own 100 percent of GBP. The transaction is part of the two conglomerates’ direction to consolidate their power sector investments into a single vehicle.

GBP is the leading power producer outside Luzon with a gross capacity of 1,091 megawatts. The company has assets in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The transfer is expected to deliver scale and operational synergy to both GBP and MGen, the company said.

Clark firm workers get ₧10K bonus

Globe builds 211 cell sites

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lark Freeport Zone—Employees of the government-run Clark International Airport Corp.

(CIAC) were recently given a Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) worth P10,000 each, CIAC president Aaron Aquino said.

The one-time SRI was released by virtue of Administrative Order (AO) 37, signed by President Duterte on December 18 which allows the release of incentives as rewards for a government employee’s loyalty and exceptional financial and operational performance.

“Our personnel deserve some incentive, especially so that during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown, they still continued in the delivery of services and handled concerns of locators and stakeholders,” Aquino said.

Meanwhile, the leader of the labor union Samahan ng mga Manggagawa sa DMIA (SMD) expressed his appreciation to the CIAC management for the timely release of the monetary incentive. “CIAC workers are inspired by the hard work and dedication of Gen. Aquino and the [SRI] incentive is our timely reward and an additional income for our families going into the holidays,” SMD President Dennis Lumanlan said in a statement. CIAC hosts around 45 other locators engaged in manufacturing, mixed-use commercial hub, business process outsourcing, renewable energy, cargo, and aviation-related industries, among others.

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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lobe Telecom Inc. has installed 211 new cell sites and towers in various provinces nationwide and has upgraded 867 sites to further expand its network and provide its subscribers with better telco services.

Joel Agustin, Globe SVP for Program Delivery, said the new sites are in Metro Manila; Rizal; North and South Luzon; Visayas and Mindanao. These include tower builds in Laguna, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Norte, Cavite, Batangas, Albay, Quezon, Cebu, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Antique, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Misamis Oriental, Sarangani and Zamboanga del Sur. “More towers mean better and wider coverage for our customers. We are also happy to note that Globe’s presence is now being felt and appreciated in more provinces in the country. Our network expansion in Agusan provinces, Davao peninsula, Sarangani and in Zamboanga peninsula bodes well for bigger network rollouts in other key areas in Mindanao,” Agustin said.

He added that the group has upgraded 867 existing cell sites to provide wider coverage. Areas where cell sites were upgraded include Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Tawi-

Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

B1

SMC to waive toll fees on Christmas, New Year

Photo from www.sanmiguel.com.ph

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onglomerateSanMiguel Corp. (SMC) on Wednesday said it is waiving all toll fees at its expressways for Christmas and New Year.

In a statement, the company said this will be implemented in its major southern tollways Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), Southern Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Skyway, NAIA Expressway, and the TarlacPangasinan-La Union Expressway in the north.

SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang said the toll holiday initiative is a yearly tradition for the company to grant motorists temporary free access to the expressways, to celebrate the holidays.

“From 10:00 pm on December 24, to 6:00 am on December 25 we will open all our expressways— STAR, SLEX, Skyway, NAIA X, TPLEX—for free to all motorists.

We are doing the same from 10:00 pm of December 31, to 6:00 am of January 1. This is an annual tradition that we do for the benefit of motorists, especially those who

have to see family in other parts of the city or have to go home to the provinces,” Ang said.

Ang added that in previous years, many motorists would use the opportunity to travel and spend time with family, friends and loved ones from other parts of the city or nearby provinces.

“This year will be no exception, we’re still implementing the toll holiday, although because of the pandemic, we know we are all asked to minimize contact with others outside our immediate families. But we still thought to open the expressways because it has become part of our commitment to motorists, and a way for us to give a little Christmas cheer,” he said.

“For those who do have reason, or an urgent need to travel on the expressways on Christmas and New Year’s, we hope you appreciate and enjoy this toll holiday and pass on a small act of kindness to others. Any positive thing you do for others will go a long way, especially during these times.” VG Cabuag

Kepwealth terminates asset management agreements

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BusinessMirror file photo

Tawi, Sulu, North Luzon, Metro Manila, Rizal, Visayas, and South Luzon.

“As experienced in previous areas, the site upgrades bring better experience to our customers even to those who are limited by 2G/3G technology. With 4G LTE and the muchanticipated 5G now made available in more areas, our customers will experience the benefits of the Filipino digital lifestyle which will help them address the challenges of the new normal,” Agustin said.

Globe said it is implementing a three-pronged strategy to further modernize its network with plans to “aggressively” build cell sites, upgrade existing towers to

4G, and laying out of more fiber optic cables for its home broadband offers.

In October, Globe said it is eyeing to install at least 800 cell sites in the fourth quarter of 2020.

In Metro Manila and Rizal, Globe said it is targeting to build at least 319 cell sites while in North Luzon at least 100 sites are in the pipeline with Bulacan, Pampanga and Pangasinan topping the 15 provinces with the most builds.

“Putting up more cell sites will pave the way for better data experience and expanded coverage. We expect mobile signals to improve moving forward especially in challenged areas,” Agustin said.

roperty developer Kepwealth Property Philippines Inc. on Wednesday said it is terminating the asset management agreements it executed with its clients by the end of the year due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In its disclosure, the company said the move will affect its revenues, which may fall by 12 percent in 2021.

The company said it is terminating its agreements with Gallipoli Real Estate, Inc, Ortigia Property Holdings Inc., Melbury Property Holdings Inc. and Gallipoli Two Real Estate Inc. effective December 31.

The said asset management deals involved certain commercial units located across Metro Manila.

“The agreements will be terminated by said clients because of the financial challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic,” it said.

The company is the owner of 77 office condominium units with 98 leasable spaces in Kepwealth Center, a commercial building located at Samar Loop corner Cardinal Ro-

sales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

Early last year, the company launched its asset management business and entered into agreements for the management of commercial, office and residential units in the following buildings located across Metro Manila. These are Oxford Suites with 60 units; Medical Plaza Ortigas, 79 units; Burgundy Corporate Tower, 91 units; Burgundy West Bay Tower, 59 units; Atrium Mall, 43 units; Icon Macapagal, 98 units; Vivaldi Residences-Cubao commercial space, 29 units and Luxe Madrigal, 96 units.

For the nine months of the year, the company had a 7-percent increase in net income to P21.6 million from last year’s P20.99 million. The increase came from the asset management operations of the company.

For the period, it recorded P68.8 million in revenues from its business segments of leasing and asset management, down 6 percent from last year’s P73.62 million. VG Cabuag

B2

Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

Companies BusinessMirror

Securities offering of PSIF, Cityland gets SEC approval

By VG Cabuag

T

@villygc

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the public offering of securities by Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp.

(PSIF) and Cityland Inc. In its meeting on December 22, the SEC en banc approved the registration statements of PSIF covering up to P50 billion worth of units of participation and Cityland for up to P815 million worth of commercial papers. The approval is subject to the companies’ compliance with certain requirements.

PSIF will offer up to 50 billion units of par-

ticipation at an initial price of P1 each. The fund will invest the proceeds in securities comprising the Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index for capital appreciation, which will in turn benefit unit holders.

BPI Investment Management Inc. will serve as the fund manager, principal distributor, investment advisor and transfer agent for the offer.

The units will be offered to the public through the fund’s authorized distributors Affinity Capital Corp., BPI Capital Corp., BIMI, Citicorp Financial Services and Insurance Brokerage Philippines Inc., COL Financial Group Inc., First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp.,

Wealth Securities Inc. and Unicapital Securities Inc., as well as other authorized and accredited distribution firms.

Cityland, meanwhile, will offer commercial papers, which will have a term not exceeding one year. The securities will be offered through the property developer’s authorized salesmen duly licensed by the SEC. Cityland expects to net about P808.17 million from the offer. The proceeds will partially finance the construction of a 27-story commercial and residential condominium project, which the company launched in October 2018 and expects to complete in June 2022, as well as future projects and maturing debt.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Aboitiz InfraCapital, Globe provide broadband access

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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boitiz InfraCapital Inc. said on Wednesday that it has partnered with Globe Telecom Inc. to accelerate the availability of community broadband access in various barangays in Davao and Cebu.

Under the partnership, Aboitiz InfraCapital will allow Globe to use the former’s existing poles to deliver KonekTayo WiFi services, which allows households and individuals to purchase buckets of WiFi access in areas where the service is present.

“We are pleased to be working with Globe on this innovative project that aims to make the internet accessible to underserved Filipinos in different parts of the country. This new partnership is consistent with our commitment to help uplift lives through better infrastructure, especially amidst the Covid-19 pandemic,” Aboitiz InfraCapital President Cosette V. Canilao said.

As of this year, the KonekTayo WiFi is present in select residential areas in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Cebu, Tacloban and Iloilo, with plans of more rollouts nationwide in 2021.

mutual funds

“Our focus is always to serve and empower Filipino families and communities, particularly those with limited resources. KonekTayo WiFi promises the affordability, accessibility and ease of use that most low-income Filipino homes need. And this partnership with Aboitiz InfraCapital strongly complements our efforts to boost network capacity and coverage through infrastructure in a cost-efficient manner,” Globe President Ernest L. Cu said.

To avail of the service, a customer simply has to connect their WiFi-enabled device, register their mobile number, and purchase a KonekTayo WiFi package.

Aboitiz InfraCapital is the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group. The company pursues various water, airport, digital infrastructure, and urban mobility projects that advance business and communities.

Its current business units include the Aboitiz Integrated Economic Centers in Batangas and Cebu, Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. in Davao, and Lima Water Corporation in Batangas. The company also has a minority stake in Balibago Waterworks System, Inc., a privatelyowned waterworks utility system based in Pampanga.

December 23, 2020

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D

per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 229.14 -8.85% -7.28% -1.47% -9.01% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.3179 -3.11% -6.08% 2.81% -4.64% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.1657 -12.81% -11.04% -2.83% -13.93% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.8106 -8.79% -7.12% n.a.

-9.73% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7493 -11.21% n.a. n.a. -11.77% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.9874 -5.79% -5.41% -1.06% -6.4% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.7681 -9.62% -7.7% n.a.

-10.02% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

101.45 -0.71% n.a. n.a.

-1.72% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 47.267 -7.4% -5% 0.23% -7.83% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 493.18 -7.01% -5.07% -0.49% -7.43% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5 1.0873 8.53% n.a. n.a.

5.55% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.1748 -8.32% -5.11% 0.01% -8.71% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 34.9539 -7.37% -4.63% 0.65% -7.77% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9203 -9.17% n.a. n.a.

-9.61% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.8353 -6.98% -4.51% 0.92% -7.43% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 808.76 -6.77% -4.41% 0.81% -7.25% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.7273 -13.55% -8.47% -3.2% -14.58% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.6614 -12.56% -6.55% -0.92% -13.01% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.926 -7.01% -4.72% 0.7% -7.47% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.3472 -8.04% -4.09% 1.23% -8.38% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 108.5089 -6.7% -4.16% 1.56% -7.22% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1842 16.05% 3.17% 6.03% 15.15% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.6592 21.74% 9.65% n.a.

20.35% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.669 7.46% -3.11% -0.82% 6.8% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.2941 5.66% -1.83% 1.49% 5.18% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6414 0.83% -1.12% -0.32% 0.38% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1996 -12.15% n.a. n.a.

-12.65% 0.19% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.972 0.83% 1.95% 0.53% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.8065 0.84% -0.41% 1.4% 0.46% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 17.0117 0.65% -0.53% 1.28% 0.3% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.1046 -0.84% -1.77% 0.99% -0.82% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.5936 -6.54% -3.03% 0.05% -6.99% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 1.0258 1.38% n.a. n.a.

0.99% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9569 -3.4% n.a. n.a.

-3.96% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.9409 -4.74% n.a. n.a.

-5.27% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.8955 -7.54% -3.7% -0.71% -8.14% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03917 2.49% 2.78% 2.06% 2.54% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $1.1434 10.9% 3.02% 5.38% 12.98% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.4786 15.47% 7.18% 7.77% 14.52% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.1965 6.56% 3.42% n.a.

6.01% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 370.99 3.75% 3.26% 2.83% 3.65% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.8996 -0.07% 0.05% 0.04% -0.13% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2129 3.23% 4.49% 4.82% 3.05% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2972 3.46% 3.02% 2.46% 3.32% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4512 4.03% 3.45% 2.16% 3.9% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.6319 6.14% 4.69% 3.17% 5.92% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.3198 5.14% 4.47% 2.64% 5.02% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9858 5.56% 4.54% 3.09% 5.22% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0391 8.03% 4.16% 2.53% 7.76% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1974 4.29% 4.79% 3.71% 3.96% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.7493 3.12% 4.12% 3.19% 2.83% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $483.67 3.36% 2.78% 2.95% 3.27% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є219.15 -0.27% 0.83% 1.22% -0.29% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2791 6.07% 4.08% 3.18% 5.96% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0266 3.1% 2.09% 1.83% 3.1% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.093 -0.01% 0.76% 0.71% -0.05% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.5344 5.61% 4.11% 3.7% 5.45% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0623872 3.45% 2.82% 2.39% 3.46% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.2255 1.77% 2.37% 2.61% 1.58% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 129.76 3.23% 3.35% 2.57% 3.12% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0477 1.6% n.a. n.a.

2.09% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2961 2.58% 2.99% 2.61% 2.46% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0522 1.49% 1.75% n.a.

1.34% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.1073 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $0.98 -1.01% n.a. n.a.

-1.01%

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund). 7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

B3 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

PHL AMBASSADOR URGES MEMBER-STATES:

‘Uphold Unclos in maritimerelated Asean gatherings’

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Swiss market studies highlight local food, textile exports potential

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OREIGN Affairs Assistant Secretary of Asean Affairs and Asean-Philippines Director-General Junever M. Mahilum-West exhorted the region’s member-states to support the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) as the legal framework under which all ocean activities are regulated.

THE Swiss studies aim to harness the potential of the agreement between the Philippines and the European Free-Trade Agreement. SWISS FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

MAHILUM-WEST DFA

Mahilum-West encouraged everyone at the 10th Asean Maritime Forum (AMF) and the 8th Expanded Asean Maritime Forum (EAMF) on December 15 “to work toward fulfilling their obligations under the 1982 Unclos for the peace, stability and prosperity of our region.”

The Filipino envoy also expressed the Philippines’s steadfast commitment to achieve the early

conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, with emphasis to the Unclos. She proposed the harmonization of national governance efforts with regional and international maritime-cooperation frameworks, or at least, the enhancement of their complementaries.

Highlighting priorities of the

‘Team Europe’ sends aid for Rolly, Ulysses survivors

SoKor, PHL’s 70-yr camaraderie honored in virtual conference

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OLLOWING the recent onslaught of devastating typhoons that hit the Philippines in the month of November 2020, the European Union (EU) and its member-states have committed and rapidly delivered more than €6.456 million (P380,123 million) worth of humanitarian assistance to the Philippines.

This aid is on top of important contributions of the EU and its countries to the emergency funds of multilateral humanitarian institutions that have responded to the needs created by Supertyphoons Rolly and Ulysses (international names: Goni and Vamco, respectively)—including the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent.

EU: €2,350,000 (€1.3 million for Rolly and €1.05 million for Ulysses). The aid includes shelter, food and livelihood assistance, health care and access to clean water, safe sanitation and good hygiene, as well as other vital aid.

Belgium: Civil-society organizations funded by the Belgian Development Cooperation are financing relief efforts and strengthening the resilience of their beneficiary communities in the affected areas.

Czech Republic: €476,000 (€96,000 through the IFRC and Red Crescent Societies.) and €380,000 to the Forecast Financing Fund.

Germany: €150,000 (Redirecting existing funding of €100,000 thru international organizations), as well as €50,000 thru nongovernment organizations financed by German nationals.

Spain: €380,000 (€165,000 through the International Crescent of the Red Cross (ICRC), €65,000 through Action Against Hunger, and €150,000 through Caritas Manila).

Hungary: More than €21,000 (through Hungary Helps agency and Caritas Manila; also donated a mobile water-treatment plant operated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, which was deployed immediately in Catanduanes).

The Netherlands: €950,000, plus €600,000 through The Netherlands Red Cross and €350,000 from Dutch nationals. Other Dutch core grants were coursed through the ICRC/NLRC and to the United Nations’ Emergency Relief system.

Sweden: €2,129,000 (€1.15 million (SEK 11.5 million, or $1.4 million) through Save the Children Phils., National Council of Churches in the Phils. and Plan International; €978,978 (SEK 10M, or $1.2 million) were sent to the IFRC. According to the delegation’s embassy in the country, the EU and its member-states are known reliable partners of the Philippines at all times, especially in emergency situations. The EU commends the Philippine government for the acceleration of the recovery efforts, andforaddressinghumanitarianconcernsbroughtabout by the two supertyphoons. Its delegation to the country said, “The world has again witnessed the compassion shown by the Filipino people in helping each other, and the Filipino bayanihan spirit known worldwide.”

Philippines in the area of maritime governance and cooperation during the series of Asean meetings, the diplomat underscored national efforts in maritime governance—including the establishment of the National Coast Watch Council to strengthen interagency coordination on maritime affairs, then cited the Trilateral Cooperation Arrangement with Indonesia and Malaysia to combat

transnational maritime crimes in the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea. Established in 2010, the AMF is a venue for dialogue on a wide range of maritime issues such as maritimesecurity trends, maritime cooperation, maritime domain awareness, and maritime-environmental protection, among others. The EAMF, on the other hand, includes Asean’s partners. DFA

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N December 10, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, together with the Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Patriots and Veterans of South Korea, as well as the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, held a virtual conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War. The online meeting, “Revisiting the Philippines in the Korean War[‘s] 70th Anniversary,” honored the battles South Koreans fought in the name of freedom and democracy, while emphasizing the valor of the Filipino soldiers who marched beside them.

“The Korean War has [been forgotten by] today’s 100 million...Filipinos,” lamented Undersecretary Ernesto G. Carolina, administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office. “But for veterans, it was [the] defining event of their lives.”

Not many Filipinos realize the role veterans played in South Korea’s struggle to preserve its freedom and sovereignty. Fortunately, distinguished victories of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea, or Peftok, such as those in the battles of Yultong and Eerie Hill, continue to be remembered to this day.

“The moment you removed your socks, your skin would fall off,” Maj. Maximo P. Young recalled during the conference. At 98, he shared the harsh and cold tale of spending winter—a season alien to Filipinos—in a foreign land fighting another nation’s war. Young was a veteran of three armed conflicts, including the Korean War. He was a member of Peftok’s 10th Battalion Combat Team which went to the Korean Peninsula in the 1950s—the first in Asia to do so—to answer the call of the United Nations to aid the Republic of Korea in its fight for democracy against communist invaders. Five BCTs stayed until the war ended in 1955.

AMBASSADOR Han Dong-man led the online gathering remembering the Philippines’s participation in the Korean War.

Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and civilians attended the conference via Zoom and Facebook Live. South Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Minister Park Sam-duck opened the event.

Afterward, Ambassador Han Dong-man of the Republic of Korea delivered a special message about cooperation between the two countries. He highlighted his gratitude to the Filipino people, and stated: “Korea would not be enjoying peace, democracy, and economic prosperity without the Korean War veterans.” He considered the ongoing pandemic as no different from a war against an invisible enemy, but it is “something that we can overcome together with cooperation, helping one friend to another.”

The conference also featured insightful lectures from three history professors: University of the Philippines’s Dr. Ricardo Trota Jose, as well as Ateneo de Manila University’s Dr. David O. Lozada III and Mr. Neville Jay Manaois. They discussed the significance of incorporating the Korean War in

school curricula and ways to best approach it.

According to Manaois, now is an opportune time to teach about the war, given the heightened interest of Filipinos in Korean history and way of life due to the prevalence of the Korean Wave or hallyu locally.

The discussions about the Korean War and the Filipinos’ participation in it shed light on a war often overlooked in the teaching of the country’s history. Significantly, the armed struggle strengthened the friendship between Korea and the Philippines over the past seven decades.

At present, the Philippines is working toward understanding the value of the Korean War and its implications on national and diplomatic relations then and now, as well as exploring its nation-building role. Though sources and materials about the Korean War from a Filipino perspective are rare, the Korean Embassy said further understanding of history will be useful in navigating the past and the present to build a better future.

ITALIAN KNIGHT

Ambassador of Italy Giorgio Guglielmino (left) bestows the Cavaliere dell’ordine della stella d’Italia (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy) to KMC Savills Hotel and Leisure Director Marco Biggiogero— the first Italian in the Philippines to receive the award. The Milanborn property veteran has been based in the Philippines since 2003, when he came over to spearhead a project in Boracay Island.

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ECENT studies on Swiss and European markets pointed out opportunities for Filipino agricultural products, while offering guidelines for exporters.

Experts from the Swiss Import Promotion Programme presented insights into the European FreeTrade Agreement (EFTA) markets’ trade regulations, market-access requirements, and market demand in the “Export Opportunities to Europe” webinar during the National Exporters’ Week-Usapang Exports on December 2.

The studies revealed that coconut sugar, dried fruits and fruit purées for fruit-based beverages or as ingredients for dairy, ice cream or confectionery, as well as natural ingredients indispensable as components in food, cosmetics and health products, have high export potential to EFTA and European markets. Authors have pointed out narratives on sustainability, creativity and eco-friendly production as in-sync with European consumer preferences.

Switzerland and the Philippines have reportedly tied-up to promote exports for processed food, natural ingredients and value-added textiles to countries in the EFTA as well as larger Europe.

“We are convinced that the Philippines can find the means, talent, and energy to position [itself] in the international stage as a supplier of innovative, attractive and sustainable items, especially in the markets of certified and ecological products,” Ambassador of Switzerland Alain Gaschen said. “I expect to find more Philippine products in our supermarket shelves in the near future.”

The project is an example of the close economic cooperation between the two countries, and is anchored on the EFTA-Philippines Free-Trade Agreement implemented on June 1, 2018. The presentation can be viewed on the Facebook pages of the Swiss Embassy and the Export Marketing Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Envoy: PHL still lucrative market for Japanese biz

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IRMS based in Japan remain keen on investing in the Philippines, according to Ambassador Jose Laurel.

“Based on my experience as... ambassador to Japan, I can see that the Japanese continue to be excited about doing business in the Philippines,” Laurel said at the PhilippinesJapan Business Investment Virtual Forum 2020 organized by the Nikkei Group Asia. “They see the Philippines as a lucrative market for Japanese products and services.”

He explained Japan’s continued interest in the Philippines will help the country in its recovery efforts to rise above the ongoing health crisis.

The diplomat added Filipino workers are highly regarded for their skills, making the Philippines an attractive destination for Japanese investors.

Laurel also cited a study by Japan External Trade Organization, which indicated that as of 2017, around 1,502 Japanese companies were operating in the Philippines and employing some 320,000 Filipinos. Sixty percent of these are export manufacturers. They export $13.3 billion worth of products—accounting for 26 percent of Philippine merchandise export in 2017.

During the official visit of President Duterte to Japan in May 2019, the country’s delegation bagged 26 business deals amounting to $5.5 billion. These business agreements are expected to create 82,737 new jobs.

In the same event, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez urged Japanese

firms to look for opportunities in the Philippines as the government pushes for its industrial strategy to recover from the pandemic with “REBUILD PH,” or “Revitalizing Businesses, Investments, Livelihoods and Domestic Demand.”

Lopez said the program aims to jumpstart and reinvigorate the economy by revitalizing consumption and enhancing production capacity. He added the Philippines is also poised to exhibit a V-shape recovery after the pandemic.

“The Philippines is a strategic partner for Japan in the manufacturing industry for electronics, automotive, aerospace and chemicals,” the ambassador pointed out. “Other preferred areas are in the manufacture of health-care products such as medical devices, personalprotective equipment like surgical masks and medical coveralls, food, packaging, pharmaceuticals, and construction materials like iron, [steel and cement].”

Japanese firms may also explore opportunities in services such as animation, as well as engineering and architectural design and other areas like logistics, smart manufacturing, electronic-design services, and Internet of Things or IoT. “We are excited as well for prospects in terms of future collaboration with Japan in video-game development, software development, conventional and renewable energy, [infrastructures such as] retirement villages, and smart city development,” Laurel concluded. Kris Crismundo/PNA

B4 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

Help while you shop this Christmas

Golden Bay on track to finish office project amid pandemic

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MID disruptions in construction of some major government infrastructure initiatives and private developer projects due to the ensuing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis, Aspire Corporate Plaza, an 11-story premium office building venture of Golden Bay Landholdings Inc., is all set for completion with top-notch facilities and amenities that bring upscale working experience and safe office environment for tenants and visitors alike.

“Despite the delay we still completed the project in record time and without any sort of accident or mishaps within the total duration of the construction process. Our team’s commitment remained resolute and firm,” said Jardin Brian B. Wong, chief

operating officer (COO) of Golden Bay Properties. added.

Aspire will soon house a wide array of businesses ranging from manufacturing, trading, services, information technology, and food, among others.

With ease and comfort of the end-user enterprises in mind, this mid-rise corporate tower will deliver on its promise to provide features, such as an elegant main lobby, retail plaza, Sky Garden, two levels podium parking and one level for basement.

Going beyond the original plan, Golden Bay went further in incorporating existing features expected out of a Grade A Premium office building, according to the young and dynamic COO. The building boasts of an improved

parking using the “carousel system” made by German firm MHE Demag, a well thought of Sky Garden that serves as an informal meeting spot for businessmen and a recreation zone for both employees and visitors, as well as a best in class integrated Building Management System that controls, supervises and monitors electricity usage, water tank system levels, elevator usage, and security system.

Careful yet generous space planning and provision are also apparent in the hallway width (two meters as compared to the usual 1.5 meters) and number of elevators (seven high speed elevators as compared to four for buildings of the same size).

Complementing these is the “green architecture” with natural lighting and ventilation to allow more light and air to enter and exit the entire building, thus making it more energy- and cost efficient.

“Changes had to be made due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Wong said of the decision made by the management halfway through the project.

“We have an informal tagline that basically says, ‘We Aspire to Inspire’, and we feel that we have a unique opportunity to lead by continuing to invest in high value and high impact projects that not only deliver optimal results to the bottomline of the company but ultimately yield a positive impact on the society,” Wong stressed.

PLDT turns over noche buena packs at Manila City Hall.

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HE Christmas season holds a deeper meaning for every family. With all the challenges that a lot of us faced this year, finding a reason to still celebrate, connect and reconnect with others, has never been so important. This is why cultivating optimism,whenever and wherever it may be, by further supporting each other,has made this Christmas season a more meaningful one.

With the “Tuloy pa rin ang Pasko” program of PLDT-Smart Foundation, people can now give more to the less fortunate and be able to help them still celebrate the season. PLDT Home supports the program with a special fundraising drive that aims to bring happiness to beneficiaries and families.

This program wouldn’t be possible without

the help of PLDT Home customers. For every PLDT Home WifiPrepaid sold from December 1-30, 2020, Php 100 will go to the PLDTSmart Foundation to help provide Noche Buena packs to communities and frontline workers nationwide. PLDT Home aims to raise Php 5 Million for the whole duration of the campaign.

Join in and support the drive and witness the stories of the joys and triumphs of the country’s modern-day heroes – the frontliners, as well as, be a beacon of light to the less fortunate, as the only way to bring the true meaning of Christmas to life is to do it together, as one people.

For more information on the Tuloy Pa Rin ang Pasko Program as well as to donate, contact +63-2-8689-3100 or visit www. pldtsmartfoundation.org.

KESSLER’S PAMANA 2020 GOES VIRTUAL

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IVING up to its promise to not only provide quality products for the food industry, KESSLER’S® aims to also provide what the community needs to grow. And one of its fulfillments for this brand’s promise is the KESSLER’S® Pamana: Turning Stories and Recipes to Life-Long Legacies event.

After its triumphant kick-off in 2019 as the first and biggest cocoa-cooking competition in the country, KESSLER’S® Pamana had since been an anticipated event for chocolate lovers. And this year proved to be no different. While organizing an event during the pandemic was quite a challenge, KESSLER’S® Pamana 2020 was once again a resounding success as they pursued a different approach on how they mounted the event considering how the industry had been during the past months.

Commencing last October 1st, KESSLER’S® Pamana 2020 was launched at the KESSLER’S® official Facebook page and an overwhelming number of participants submitted their recipes and inspiring stories.

In lieu of the actual cook-off, participants showcased their submitted recipes by sending the finished products to designated drop-off points. The final round was stretched until the end of November, integrating the photo reactions received by the top 3 recipes.

The culmination of this year’s competition was held virtually. Filmed live at KESSLER’S Kitchen and streamed through the KESSLER’S® official Facebook page, the main event held also last November, was officially opened by Ms. Gianna Kessler von Sprengeisen, VP for Marketing and PR of HAMBURG Trading Corp., along with some timely words of wisdom.

“At KESSLER’S®, we believe that beyond the treasures of our kitchen, this PAMANA experience yields a remarkable starting point to articulate your own legacy in the food industry. My advice to our viewers is to just go for it. If you really love what you are doing, fight for it. You must have determination and grit. There are never any shortcuts. There will be successes and failures. Keep going. You have nothing to lose,” said Kessler von Sprengeisen.

Meanwhile, HAMBURG Trading Corp. Chairman, Mr. Horst Kessler von Sprengeisen, reinforced their brand’s promise during the event: “We want to see that

KESSLER’S® support gives smaller companies a bigger share in the market which has grown tremendously through the years, especially during this pandemic.”

The event yielded tremendous results during the live streaming as they received an amazing number of shares, comments, and views as everyone awaited the announcement of winners. The top 3 who were successful in delighting the judges with their original delicacies are as follows: 2nd runner up, Dyanna Mae Canas with her delectable “Choco Tupig”; 1st Runner up, Ehmmalyn Manrique with her mouth-watering “Kalamay in Chocolate Sauce w/ Latik”; and the Grand Winner, Kathleen Ann Saragosala with her outstanding “Chocolate Palitaw”.

This year’s Pamana Grand Winner brought home a Tecnogas Cooking Range, a one-year supply of Solane LPG and Solane souvenirs, Sanneng Bakeware products courtesy of Besterm, a Masflex chafing dish, Golden Fiesta Palm Oil pouches, Schoko chocolate compounds from All About Baking, KESSLER’S® products, as well as Php 8,000.00 cash.

During the event, KESSLER’S® also launched its very first “Grand Year-End Raffle” in time for the holiday season. 12 winners were drawn throughout to signify the 12 days of Christmas. Other event highlights also include the cooking demo with Chef Christine Paredes, Chocolatier and Resident Chef of KESSLER’S®; the awaited interviews of Ms. Valeri Valeriano and Ms. Christina Ong of “Queen of Hearts” and “Cake Fiesta Manila”; and Ms. Charmaine Tevar and Ms.Charisse Carino of “Twin Bakers PH” and founders of “Creative Cakepreneurs Philippines.”

KESSLER’S® Pamana 2020 and the Grand Year-End Raffle would not have been a success without the help from their copresenters: KESSLER’S Kitchen, HAMBURG Trading Corp., Tecnogas Philippines, Masflex, Solane, and Golden Fiesta. All About Baking, Besterm, Sinag, and Baking Pantry were also sponsors of the event.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Eat healthily, enjoy Christmas break with your ‘bubble family’

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ood abounds when Filipinos gather for celebrations, whether it be a wedding, baptism or graduation. Food is also served during wakes and after funerals.

“Filipinos really love social gatherings, get togethers,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire quipped during an online media forum.

On a serious note, Vergeire reminded the public that celebrations during the holidays should be limited to their “family bubble” and that they should watch what they eat.

In the same forum, Marietta M. Bumanglag, Senior Science Research Specialist of the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST- FNRI) cited the book of Doreen G. Gonzales titled “Palayok: Philippine Food Through Time, On Site, In The Pot” which noted that food is used to facilitate “human interaction, alliances, and exchange of goodwill.”

this will help create a list of food items that need to be bought.

Go to the wet market or the supermarket early to prevent crowds and to get the freshest quality products.

Use good judgment in selecting canned products and read the labels carefully. When buying canned goods don’t just check the price.

Check for the expiry date and even the nutrition information.

Create a market list. Don’t just create any list but organize it into wet and dry goods with complete specifications such as amount or brand. This will help to easily locate items, thus spending less time.

Choose fresh food like meat, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables that are in their best quality.

Buy only what you need with the right quantity that is suitable for your family’s needs and storage facility.

Nutritious advice

Five keys to safer food

To ensure a healthy body not only this Christmas but during the Covid-19 pandemic, Bumanglag gave “nutritious advice” for the public to observe.

“Have a healthy diet,” Bumanglag said.

To achieve this, one should “eat more vegetables and fruits to get the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber for the regulation of body processes and the boosting body resistance.”

Observe the ‘Go, Glow, and Grow’ food groups as prescribed in the Pinggang Pinoy for those whose age ranges from 19 to 59 years old.

This plate model conveys the right food group proportions on a per-meal basis. It also ensures healthy food options that guarantee the “Go, Glow, and Grow” foods like root crops, eggs, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and protein, vitamins, and zinc sources.

Healthy advice

Bumanglag also said that it is important to get enough sleep, exercise frequently, and maintain a healthy weight.

“Drink more water and healthy beverages, like milk, fruit juices, or veggie smoothies and shakes,” she said.

It is also necessary to seek medical care immediately if you have a fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing.

She also advised that one should not engage in panic shopping during the pandemic and gave the following tips to prevent this: Meals should be planned ahead of time as

Bumanglag said it is important to practice the following for food safety: Keep clean. Wash your hands before and during food preparation, and after going to the toilet.

Separate raw and cooked food. Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods and use separate equipment and utensils as well. Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and prepared foods.

Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood. Bring food like soups and stew to boiling point to make sure that they have reached 70 degrees Celsius.

Keep food at safe temperatures. Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable food (preferably below 5 degrees Celsius). Keep cooked food piping hot (more than 60 degree Celsius) prior to serving. Do not store food too long even in the refrigerator. Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature.

Use clean and potable water and raw materials. Select fresh and wholesome foods.

Choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurized milk.

“Celebrations may no longer be as festive and as complete as before. For now, hugs will be virtual and heartfelt greetings will be made into social media posts,” Bumanglag lamented but concluded that “there is no stopping Christmas.” Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

The Medical City Clark bags gold award in Asian Hospital Management Awards

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he Medical City Clark has added another feather to its cap. In addition to being ISO 9001-2015 certified, TMC Clark won the Gold Award in the Brand and Marketing Campaign category of the 2020 Asian Hospital Management Awards for its “A Safe Zone for All Patients” Campaign.

The Asian Hospital Management Awards is a prestigious ceremony which recognizes and honors hospitals in the Asia Pacific Region. Running alongside the Hospital Management Asia conference, it is the most prominent management awards in the region. There are 13 award categories to demonstrate the innovative and progressive approach that hospitals across the region are doing to improve health care.

TMC Clark participated in the Brand and Marketing Campaign Category which recognizes innosvative branding and marketing campaign that led to increased awareness of the hospital. This includes the use of traditional and online marketing tools to improve visibility, brand recognition and revenue.

The hospital beat 200 other entries submitted by 89 hospitals based in 16 countries in the same category. The judges for the Brand and Marketing Campaign Category were Dr. Sandhya Mudumdar from the Joint Commission International and formerly of the National University Hospital who was the chairman; Dr. Widyatusti Wibisono of the Indonesia Hospital Association, PERSI; and Dr. Mohamed Hamdy of Al Salama Hospital, Abu Dhabi.

TMC Clark’s “A Safe Zone for All Patients” campaign was the hospital’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has kept people away from hospitals. Even if they already need medical attention for their nonCovid-19 ailments, it is the fear of contracting the Covid-19 virus that is keeping them from going to the hospital to seek medical consults.

This fear has also failed to make people realize that if they delay or leave their condition unchecked, they are putting their lives at risk.

The overall goal of the “A Safe Zone for All Patients” campaign is to bring the patients back to the hospital. To achieve this goal, TMC Clark

came up with campaigns that informed the public of the measures that were undertaken to make the hospital safe not only for the health-care workers but more importantly for the patient.

The campaigns focused on three areas:

To promote the implementation of safe zones in the hospital which showcased the infection and safety protocols that the hospital implemented to make the hospital safe for patients.

The hospital came up with patient education videos that started with a whole new world video, a video about the new normal practices and operation protocols.

An information dissemination campaign telling patients not to delay their health and to visit their doctors. The campaign focused on the protocols that the hospital has adopted to entice the patients to return to the hospital.

To promote the new normal services that the hospital came up with as an answer to the “call of the times.” These services are teleconsultation, laboratory on wheels, my results online, rapid tasking and RT-PCR testing, virtual diabetes and nutrition services consultation.

These services can be availed of without having to visit the hospital.

The campaigns were conducted at the height of the community quarantine in Pampanga and in the nearby provinces. With people forced to stay home with more free time, TMC Clark saw this as an opportunity to conduct these campaigns online, primarily through Facebook, through videos, posts about the new normal services being offered and constant reminders to not delay their health and to visit their doctors when the need arises.

“This Gold Award comes in the heels of the hospital’s ISO 9001: 2015 certification. We are truly grateful that in spite of these challenges, we were able to rise up and achieve all this, all for the quality care and the safety of our patients. We will truly treasure this award because it was given during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Almario G. Jabson, TMC Clark President and CEO, during his acceptance speech.

Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020 B5

Pinoys need a safety culture to adapt to the new normal

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By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

he new normal demands a “safety culture” as preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus is contingent on public compliance and private sector cooperation.

Dr. Arnold Tabun, National Auditor of the Philippine College of Occupational Medicine, however noted that the response to the Covid-19 pandemic by the different countries around the world vividly exposed the differences in the cultural values of Eastern and Western societies.

He cited that South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and even Cambodia were able to manage the pandemic better than their Western counterparts.

Death rates per million as reported

by John Hopkins University were much higher in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden, countries that are all considered “First World” countries.

“The response in Western societies includes defying lockdowns, refusal to wear face masks and maintain physical distance, protests and rallies against closures of pubs and churches, for example,” he explained.

On the other hand, Eastern societies have been more accepting of the demands made on them by their governments.

“The massive disparity in Eastern and Western responses to the pandemic lies in their cultural values,” he stressed.

Philippine culture “In general, the Philippines has not yet developed a ‘safety culture’ as

evidenced by daily scenes of people jaywalking, counterflow driving, riding without helmets or wearing seatbelts, spitting and urinating in public, throwing trash in the streets, among others. This has an overall negative influence on safety protocols. The safety culture is important in the new normal as it is a lifestyle that incorporates infection prevention and control (IPC) measures,” Dr. Tabun said during the Covid-19 Talk: “Understanding the Numbers, How It Affects us, and What the New Normal Will Look Like” hosted

by Thomson Reuters Manila.

In terms of Covid-19 safety protocols, Dr. Tabun noted, “we have both negative and positive cultural influences. For example, it helps that Filipinos need to take a bath daily and that we have different footwear for outdoor and for indoor use.”

“However, we have practices that, while they are considered good under normal conditions, they increase the risk for Covid infection. These practices include mano po, boodle fight, huge extended family gatherings, fiestas and religious events and entertaining neighbors and new acquaintances in our homes,” he said.

He also expressed the belief that the high number of Covid-19 cases can somehow be attributed to the Filipinos’ “high-contact” culture.

“Yes, our high-contact culture plays a part in the number of Covid cases,

but it is not the only factor. Other factors that contribute to the Covid case rate are the number of tests done, the adequacy of contact tracing and isolation,” he said.

He added that the way some Filipinos behave goes against safety guidelines.

“We have certain behaviors and practices that contradict the principles of infection prevention and control.

For example, Covid protocols require minimal physical contact, but we have beso-beso and mano po,” he said noting that IPC measures include avoiding crowds “but we are so used to crowds.”

“We have fiestas, we have big family reunions with boodle fights, we have big processions like for the Black Nazarene, we love community videokes with tagayan,” he said as he also noted that IPC promotes isolation, “but we go home to an extended family with three or four generations living in one small household.”

Pre-pandemic to new normal

Dr. Tabun said that prior to the pandemic, the trend was to have open workspaces. Individual cubicles were replaced with shared tables without dividers to encourage social interaction.

“Now, these physical barriers have been brought back and is a reflection of the general lifestyle for the new normal—less physical dynamics and transitioning to virtual interaction.

This is the same for schools which have shifted to online classes,” he said.

While the minimum health standards set by the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health, and Department of Labor and Employment “are good,” he said based on the findings from their site audits, one of the major gaps in the IPC is more behavioral in nature. This means that while the protocols are in place, people do not follow them if there is no one watching.

“Establishments need to shift their focus from mere statutory compliance to a mindset of developing a safety culture among its constituents.

With this mindset, we can expect the greater enforcement of OSH [occupational safety and health] protocols even without government regulations. The government can also provide a balance of penalties for non-compliance and incentives to establishments with excellent Safety and Health practices,” he furthered.

He strongly believes though that remote working will become the normal set-up, even in the post-pandemic scenario.

“Yes, for office-based companies but not for labor-based industries like manufacturing and construction.

Now that companies have seen that their business operations were able to continue even if their employees are working from home [WFH] for almost a year, it is very likely that this WFH setup will be continued post-pandemic,” he said adding that such a protocol intends to limit close physical interactions although “socializations and collaborations can still be done virtually. Admittedly, this requires some getting used to.”

“What we anticipate is that this will have an impact on work-life-balance and mental health which will eventually also impact an employee’s productivity,” he stressed.

When asked about the post-pandemic scenario, Dr. Tabun, being an OSH advocate, has expressed the hope that “Filipinos come out of this pandemic with a well-ingrained sense of health and safety.”

“Not spitting or urinating in public, not going to work when sick, throwing trash in the proper bins, seeking medical consult at the early signs of an illness. However, it’s too early to tell. A cultural change may take years to happen,” he concluded.

Doctors debunk, clarify lung cancer myths in webinar

By Rory Visco Contributor

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here are certain myths about lung cancer that create more confusion rather than clarity so it is best to seek the correct advice and information from the experts themselves.

That is why The Medical City (TMC) conducted a “Mythbusters”—like webinar where experts and specialists from different fields shared their knowledge and clarified or debunked certain myths about lung cancer so that people will understand the truth about this deadly disease.

I stopped smoking years ago so I don’t have to worry about lung cancer—Dr. Christine Chavez, Interventional Pulmonologist at the TMC’s Augusto P. Sarmiento Cancer Institute, said this is a myth. “Just because you stopped smoking doesn’t mean you won’t have it.”

Studies on risks of having lung cancer between smokers and non-smokers revealed that those who stopped smoking for five to 10 years, the risk is 12 times higher; for 10-15 years, it is eight times higher while those who stopped smoking 15 to 25 years, six times and those who stopped 25 years and above, four times. “The sooner you, your relatives or friends quit smoking, the better. And there are also risks regardless of the level and duration of smoking.”

Only those who smoke will have lung cancer—Another myth, Dr. Chavez said. “We’ve seen patients who didn’t smoke and yet had lung cancer. Those who inhale 2nd hand smoke, smoke from the burning of trees, leaves, air pollution outside of the homes, those working in industries that use asbestos, silica, chromium,

nickel, etc., genetics, ‘scar carcinoma’ from tuberculosis, and those with emphysema.”

Lung cancer only affects the lungs—Dr. Josephine Contreras-Tolentino, Chief of Medical Oncology section, TMC and Deputy Director, Community Outreach and Public Education, said a malignant or cancerous tumor has “invasive” properties, meaning it can move to other parts of the body like the bones, brain, or the liver.

All lung cancer patients have cough—Dr. Chavez said this is a myth because the early stages of lung cancer may have no symptoms at all, or may start with coughing, sometimes with traces of blood. Manifestations or symptoms differ per person; can be loss of weight, weakness or shortness of breath.

I feel perfectly fine. I don’t need to be screened - Dr. Chavez said this is a myth because the absence of symptoms does not mean one is not at risk. It is best to be screened to catch it early, just like in breast, colon or prostate cancer. Best chances of detecting is through a low-dose chest CT scan. I am too young to have lung cancer—This is a myth, says Dr. Tolentino.

Even if most cancer incidents happen among older people, younger people, or those below 60 years old, can also have lung cancer, sometimes even in their 40s, depending on environment factors like indoor or outdoor pollution.

Lung Cancer is a death sentence—With today’s technology, Dr. Tolentino said this is not true anymore. Treatments are more modern now and help increase the survival rate of patients. The Philippine Society of Medical Oncology is also trying its best to help lower the price of medicines to make treatment more affordable since cancer treatment is continuous.

Breast Cancer is deadlier than lung cancer—Dr. Tolentino said this is also a myth since a tumor in the lungs is not easily seen unlike breast cancer, which is more external so it can be treated earlier. “We usually diagnose lung cancer in its advanced stage because the tumor in lung cancer can mimic the symptoms of other infections like tuberculosis. So for me, lung cancer is deadlier.”

I already switched to vape, e-cigarettes so I don’t have risk for lung cancer—Definitely a myth, Dr. Chavez said, since various forms of e-cigarettes still have smoke, and chemicals, herbicides, etc., that can cause inflammation of the lungs and may lead to lung cancer. It is still best to quit smoking, she said.

I already have lung cancer so it doesn’t pay to quit smoking anymore—Dr. Irish Ivan Fortu, Radiation Oncology Consultant at TMC with training in SBRT (Stereotactic Body Radiation Treatment) for Lung Cancer said this is a myth. “Quitting smoking is the first thing a person with lung cancer has to do to start the healing process. Cigarette smoking is the most common lifestyle-related risk factor not just for lung cancer but also for other cancer types.”

You won’t survive if a portion of the lungs is removed due to surgery—A myth, says Dr. Karlos Noel Aleta, a member of the Philippine Association of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgeons. He said If the tumor is confirmed to be lung cancer and surgery is the treatment option, this is discussed thoroughly with the patient, who also needs to undergo a Pulmonary Function Test to determine the capacity of the lungs.

“Overall, if the surgery would remove a portion of the lung, the patient can still survive because

SM Bears of Joy bring smiles to frontliners

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n collaboration with SM Cares, SM Supermalls, and Toy Kingdom, SM Foundation distributed SM Bears of Joy this holiday season to frontliners—medical workers and uniformed personnel—as a way of paying tribute for their courage and selflessness in

battling this Covid-19 pandemic.

Included in the list of recipients are frontliners from the Quezon City General Hospital, Villamor Air Base Hospital, V. Luna Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, and Tondo Foreshore Super Health Center, among others.

we will be able to estimate if the remaining lung capacity is enough for the patient to live.”

You can’t go near a patient undergoing radiotherapy for lung cancer—Dr. Fortu said this is an absolute myth. “Unlike other radiotherapy treatment for other cancers, the energy from radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer is completely absorbed by the patient only during the actual treatment. Once the patient goes out of the treatment room, he will not harm others so it is safe.”

Having a small lung nodule does not need a surgical referral—Myth, says Dr. Aleta. If the nodule is indeed lung cancer, size does not matter so the patient has to be referred to a specialist. “If the nodule is small, it means it’s still in its early stage so we offer surgery if the patient has the lung capacity and shows lower risks for surgery, especially if minimally invasive.

Removing the source of the small nodule also reduces the chances of it spreading to other parts of the body.” If surgery is not possible, adds Dr. Fortu, especially for those with comorbidities or due to old age, TMC offers SBRT, a form of ablative therapy that destroys tumors or abnormal tissues in the body. Surgery, however, is still the best option.

Chemotherapy is the only treatment used for lung cancer—This is a myth, Dr. Tolentino said. “There is now targeted therapy and immunotherapy. This is real medicine, or ‘ethical’ drugs subjected to decades of careful study before it was approved for treatment of lung cancer. This is different from commercially available, over-the-counter supplements that only help to improve the immune system and general health.”

Motoring BusinessMirror

Henry Ford Awards Best Motoring Section 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011 Hall of Fame

Editor: Tet Andolong

B6 Thursday-Friday, December 24-25, 2020

Isuzu resumes turnovers of commercial vehicles

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Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

SUZU Philippines Corp. (IPC) does not let the pandemic halt its commitment to providing reliable commercial and utility vehicles.

Now that the community quarantine has eased and allowed the business to operate in the “new normal,” brand-new units of these vehicles are making their way to new owners and operators again. For a major truck distributor in the country, this only means that the business is starting to regain its footing.

Brand new EXZ77N Tractor Head

In a simple ceremony, IPC and Isuzu Cavite recently handed over a brandnew unit of EXZ77N heavy-duty tractor head to logistics and transport firm Neoji Trucking Services.

Present during the formal ceremony was IPC Assistant Division Head for Sales Hiroto Nakaguro; Neoji Trucking Services representatives Oliver Osias, Anoel Mark Salvador, Nelson Milana, Edwin Balaton, Joseph Raya, and Ian Panelo III. Isuzu Cavite, which facilitated Neoji’s first purchase of an Isuzu-branded Category V truck, was represented by its Branch Manager Valance Mauricio.

Neoji Trucking Services—the sister company of Philindo Express, an accredited logistics partner for a well-known pharmaceutical giant since 2002—is also set to become the pharmaceutical company’s transport partner. The acquisition of its first EXZ77N truck adds power, efficiency, versatility, and dependability to the firm’s logistics portfolio. Also, it would help fulfill, or even exceed, the expectations of large-scale partners. The good news

is that Neoji already expressed its commitment to acquire another EXZ77N unit by December 2020.

The EXZ77N tractor head is motivated by a powerful and fuel-efficient 6UZ1-TCG50 engine with Euro V Blue Power technology and paired to a ZF 16-speed multistage gearbox to deliver maximum power and torque output at a towing condition suited for hauling. Travel without compromising fuel efficiency was adapted and made even more accessible for today’s business, transport, and logistics climate. This truck series is designed for long-haul comfort, equipped with state-of-the-art convenience features to increase driver productivity and reduce downtime.

In terms of safety, the new E-Series trucks are equipped with the standard anti-lock brake system. Moreover, wide multi-sectional side view mirrors have wide-angle views to assist drivers and prevent “underruns,” contact accidents during turns, and merging maneuvers. The wheel parking and trailer brakes are conveniently located at the driver’s side for better reach and instant control.

EXZ77N trucks are competitively priced and offer the best value-for-money over any other trucks, brand new or secondhand, in the market today. Isuzu is making it the brand of choice for today’s budget-conscious businesses.

Class 3 Modern PUV

IPC continues its efforts to support

Encounter with a vaccine recipient; endless SMC aid

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EBORAH Dawn Delgado-Ferrer was one of the first Filipinos in America to receive a vaccine shot on December 17 against the Covid-19.

I am glad that I’ve “met” her through her cousin that my wife and I had the luxury of being with in our Holy Land pilgrimage a year ago.

In a letter to her cousin Sheila Sumayod-Baluran, our fellow pilgrim who is a nurse in Sydney, Australia, Deborah said:“I feel very happy, hopeful and relieved.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Now, I can freely go out fearlessly, to work and help more people who need me. I feel safe that I can go home and spend more time with my family without fear of exposing them to this deadly virus.”

Deborah, who now drives a Lexus after years of driving a Toyota Rav4, has been a physical therapist for 19 years at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center in Metro Glendale, California.

Deborah also told Sheila not to fear the Pfizer vaccine, a message she said she keeps repeating to her fellow health workers and patients at the hospital.

“I am truly blessed and privileged to have received the Covid-19 vaccine,” said Deborah. “I think that at this point, nothing is more terrifying than the Covid-19. So, at the first opportunity, get the vaccine. Protect yourself and your loved ones.

Stop the spread. Believe in science.”

Deborah, 45, originally from Brgy. Apitong, Tacloban City, is married to Dr. Rafael Ferrer Jr. from Cabanatuan City. Her husband was a movie actor with the screen name “Tonichi Ferrer” and a contemporary of Alfie Anido in the Seventies. They are parents to Andrea, 14, a student council president and a varsity player in both volleyball and basketball teams.

A Level III recipient, Tonichi’s turn for inoculation is in February. No vaccination date yet for Andrea

pending the conclusion of clinical tests for teeners 18-and-below.

Deborah said that some 30 hours after she got vaccinated, she felt a little muscle soreness on the vaccinated spot, and a mild headache a la hangover the morning after.

“But overall,” said Deborah, “no major adverse reactions. I do believe that it’s safe and effective.”

Sheila, whose mustachioed husband Boy dreams of owning a Maserati, said her cousin Deborah, who has been a P.T. for 22 years, “is a strong-willed woman, fearless but with the kindest heart in the world.”

Deborah’s sister, Daryll, is a journalist and a book author.

Sheila said to me: “You want some trivia?

Deborah and I both got married at age 35.”

But while Deborah has her Andrea, Sheila remains childless.

“But it is God’s will,” said Sheila. “I accept it wholeheartedly.”

P138M for frontliners

IF only for the record, the waived toll for the country’s Covid-19 heroes has reached a staggering P138 million as of December 20, according to San Miguel Corp.

Since nine months back, the SMC has exempted medical front liners from paying fees at STAR, SLEX, Skyway, NAIAX and TPLEX. SMC president-COO Ramon S. Ang said the program that began in March will go on “to show the company’s lasting gratitude to our frontliners.”

Said Ang: ”While the situation may be a little different now with less restrictions, make no mistake: We are still in a pandemic, and our medical practitioners have not stopped fighting. They are still battling Covid-19 and sacrificing so much to save

Brand-new units of Class 3 PUV slated to service commuters in Bayambang, Pangasinan

Traviz—the ideal partner for business

Brand-new unit of EXZ77 heavy-duty tractor head turned over to Neoji Trucking Services

the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) to bring safer, more efficient, more convenient, and more environmentally sustainable transport systems to the Filipinos. Recently, five Isuzu QKR Class 3 modernized public utility vehicles (PUVs) were turned over to the New Bayambang UV Express Transport Corporation.

Ideal for longer routes, these units with front-facing seating configuration will soon service the Bayambang —Dagupan via Malasiqui commuter route. Founded and organized by Roy lives. That is why we have also not stopped showing our appreciation for them. This privilege will still extend indefinitely.”

He concluded:“This Christmas season especially, let us be reminded that they are a gift and a blessing to all of us.”

More than 10,402 medical front liners are beneficiaries of the special privilege.

The free toll privilege is just part of SMC’s total relief package to combat the pandemic now totaling P13 billion, including free Petron fuels, food packs and PCR testing kits to government-initiated medical emergencies.

Isn’t there a call for Ang to run for president in 2022?

6 awards for Honda

DID Honda really run away with six awards in the justended Auto Focus People’s & Media’s Choice Awards?

Well, to be honest, no surprise there.

Honda has always been known to win with ridiculous ease all through the years, thanks to its enduring quality and durability.

I’m proud to say I’ve been a consistent judge in the event marshalled so efficiently by Ray Butch “Elvis” Gamboa, who, even if he is not yet 100 percent fully recovered, is undauntedly unstoppable in keeping his babe as radiant as ever for the past 16 years.

Leading the Honda juggernaut was the Odyssey as the Luxury Van/MPV of the Year—its sixth straight year to win it.

The Honda Accord came next as Best in Safety Features in the midsize sedan segment.

And to cap it all, the Honda Brio swept all four categories in the mini sedan category: best design, best engine performance, best safety features and best value-for-money.

“These awards prod us to work harder to provide the continued unique best customer experience for everyone’s joy.” said Masahiko Nakamura, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. president.

PEE STOP Ka Abel Manliclic’s Tiong Baruh is now at Valero St. Makati City, even as the planned branch opening at Pasig Commons is yet to be announced. The Alphard-riding Ka Abel has one more Tiong Baruh at the building of Toyota top honcho Alfred Ty near MOA Pasay, where its Hainanese chicken is a perennial best-seller...

Merry Christmas!

Gutierrez and Ponciano Valendiano Jr., the organization aims to improve the riding public’s experience and maintain the quality of transport vehicles for its members.

Held at the Bayambang Town Plaza, IPC president Hajime Koso graced the event. Also present were Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino, Bayambang Mayor Cezar Quiambao, and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Regional Director Nasrudin Talipasan. With the cooperation of Isuzu Pangasinan, the

turnover went on smoothly.

“It cannot be denied that Isuzu has created a reliable partnership between Filipino drivers and transport cooperatives over the years. Isuzu has not only achieved its 300,000th sales milestone in 2020, but also continued its legacy of having these Isuzu PUVs run the public roads under the government’s PUV modernization program.

Isuzu PUVs are truly made by Filipinos for Filipinos, ‘Gawang Pilipino, Para sa Pilipino’. We hope that these units will be able to provide its usual durability, comfort, and safety for your drivers and passengers. Together we will overcome the challenges of this pandemic and look towards a brighter future for everyone,” said Koso.

These Class III modern PUV units are based on the reliable QKR77 platform fitted with a body designed and manufactured by Almazora Motors Corp. Motivation comes from a Euro IV-compliant 4JH1-TC diesel engine, which delivers better fuel economy and cleaner emissions.

Traviz for your biz

Meanwhile, IPC also invited few motoring media members to experience the brand-new Traviz up close and on the road. Launched in

Q4 of 2019, it has become the ideal commercial vehicle for upcoming and established business enterprises seeking trucking solutions to “Transcend Their Business.” Its guaranteed durability and reliability will provide a better alternative to the Filipino entrepreneurs who can take advantage of its big cargo capacity to maximize profit.

Motivation comes from a Euro 4-compliant 4JA1 2.5-liter Direct Injection Common Rail with Blue Power technology turbodiesel engine and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. It is the same powertrain utilized in the well-liked, durable, and reliable Crosswind AUV. The output is rated at 77 hp and 176.5 N-m of maximum torque. It has an estimated net payload (with UV Body and aircon) of 1,145 kilograms—the highest payload capacity in its class at P57,250 per load (cargo value per kilo estimated at P50).

The Traviz body can be customized to meet the needs of the market.

Partner bodybuilders can produce client specifications as per requirements. Other available variations are drop side, utility vehicle, refrigerated, and aluminum body, among others.

Toyota reveals restyled new Yaris for 2021

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FTER a series of exciting model launches, leading mobility company Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) wraps up 2020 with the introduction of the 2021 update to its popular hatchback—the Toyota Yaris.

“It’s been a jam-packed year for Toyota this 2020,” described Elijah Marcial, vice president of marketing services at TMP. “But we’ve got one last exciting model this year that we’re sure many Filipinos will enjoy.”

“The Yaris appeals to many married professionals in their mid to late 30s looking for a modern fun-to-drive vehicle that offers the great cargo space a hatchback offers,” Marcial said, describing the Yaris customer. “The Yaris nameplate has amassed quite a loyal fan base for being synonymous with fun driving and flashy looks, and this year we’ve elevated it with a new premium eye-catching design to suit our customers’ evolving style. All without, of course, compromising on the power, convenience, and safety we’ve all come to expect from every Toyota,” she added.

Premium and fun design

Appealing to both loyal fans of the hatchback form factor and the casual customer looking for a versatile and fun vehicle, the new Yaris is sure to excite with its fun design matched with premium sensibility. With its sporty, mesh-type front grille and wide-winged headlamps, the new Yaris makes a lasting first impression. Expressive character lines stretch across the side of this quirky hatchback before meeting at the rear. Glossy piano black accents contrast with the body paint color and chrome finishes on the door handles, adding to the visual interest and sporty feel. Cars behind the new Yaris 1.5 S CVT variant are in for a visual treat with LED line guides outlining its rear combination lamps. Finally, the sporty rear spoiler completes its edgy look.

Beauty with just as much brawn

Underneath that stylish facade is a capable and efficient 1.5L Dual VVT-i engine for the S CVT variant, and a 1.3L Dual VVT-i engine for the E CVT variant. Drivers can enjoy seamless

VARIANT

SRP

COLORS AVAILABLE

1.5 S CVT

P1,114,000

1.3 E CVT

P973,000

Cyan Metallic Citrus Mica Metallic Red Mica Metallic Super White II

and uncomplicated driving with its Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Feel in control with paddle shifters conveniently placed behind the steering wheel of the 1.5 S CVT variant, which are especially helpful when overtaking. This variant also offers Eco and Sport Drive Modes so drivers can further customize their drives.

Convenience at your fingertips

The new Yaris greets passengers with its spacious 5-seater cabin and large cargo space. With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now standard across all variants, connecting and controlling your smartphone media has never been easier. Adjust it all without ever taking your hands off the steering wheel with the Yaris’s cleverly thought-out media control buttons. Customers who opt for the 1.5 S CVT variant won’t have to scramble for their keys with its convenient Smart Entry and Push Start System. This variant also comes in new synthetic leather seats and boasts an immersive 6-speaker system so everyone can enjoy their favorite music and podcasts!

Safety at every turn

Toyota’s got your back, front, and all sides covered with its class-leading 7 SRS air bags equipped as standard on all Yaris variants. Even in sticky situations, the new Yaris minimizes risks with its Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) which helps prevent side skids and assists in stabilizing the car when abruptly turning on a tight curve. Ain’t no mountain high enough for the Yaris with its Hill-Start Assist so you can safely advance uphill from a full stop with ease. The 1.5 S CVT variant also comes with automated safety features like Speed-Sensing Door Locks, so everyone inside is safe once the vehicle speed up.

Pricing

Customers may begin reserving the new Yaris by contacting their local Toyota dealerships starting December 19, 2020. Retail sales in all of TMP’s 70 dealerships across the country will start January 13, 2021. They may also check out the Yaris’s full specs and product highlights, plus calculate payments, and submit inquiries direct to any preferred dealer via https://toyota.com.ph/yaris.

For more information on the New Yaris, visit TMP’s official web site at www.toyota.com.ph.